Avenged
by muses13
Summary: In the aftermath of Elsa's 'Eternal Winter', Elsa and Anna seek normalcy in their lives. The secret of her powers no longer stands between Elsa and the outside world. New faces, both positive and some negative, enter into their lives, especially one man striving for an opportunity to rid himself of the label of an anomaly. (Post-Frozen, ElsaXOC, AnnaXKristoff, Rated T in case)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello. Please review and give me any sort of criticism. I am a big fan of the movie, and I wanted to portray my thoughts on a continuation. If you find mistakes, please inform me. If you find something you like, please inform me. If you have an idea of different word choice, please inform me. Thanks you very much.**

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Chapter 1

The light off the candle cast a red hue unto Elsa's drowsy expression. As her time as Queen, the political interest in her affairs had grown. She knew that her acceptance of the throne would result in lessened time to herself, but the revealing of her powers had only increased the strain. Countries she was unaware were even still capable of trade were sending forth letter after letter requesting the newly discovered surplus item. Ice. Isles from every direction looked towards Arendelle with hungry eyes. Her eyes combed the room searching for anything to distract her mind from the task at hand. The room was smaller than the office of the former ruler, her father. She could never bring herself to face the issue. Any time she attempted to clear away the remains of her father's legacy from his office, she would find herself overwhelmed with the memories flooding her brain. She knew Anna felt similar by the way she hurriedly scurried past the opening to his wing. Though she tried not to show it, the past influences of their patriarch haunted their thoughts when their eyes lay on his belongings.

The room was painted a cream not too many shades off of the platinum blonde hair Elsa forever donned. A large mahogany was placed near the middle of the room topped with a slate of glass, littered with papers and ink. In front of the desk was a couch provided by Anna so that she may lie as she pestered Elsa for the attention she so dearly craved. Across where two seats for any dignitaries wishing to discuss the matters perched upon the desk surface. Elsa ran her slender fingers through the falling locks of her unruly bangs. Her hair was in a single braid falling down her back. It had once been secured on top of her head, but as the day and stress progressed, it finally released its grasp to further annoy its owner. She wore a dress similar to the once she sported on her coronation day. Instead of a turquoise body, it was a darker violet shade. She had not initially intended on escaping her solitude at midnight for a drink, but to finish the paperwork required for her and Anna to spend the entire day together, she needed a glass of wine. If it had not been for this impulse, she wouldn't have heard the knock at the door. It hit her ears when she strode through the foyer past the front door. It was soft almost unsure of whether or not it wished to be heard. She reluctantly approached the entrance. If it had been any other time in the day, she would have been aware of the dangers with placing oneself in front of a stranger in the wee hours of the night.

The door slowly creaked open and in an instant a man fell forward into the light of the moon. He was tall, possibly at least foot taller than Elsa. His hair was pitch black and his skin was lightly tinted with a tan. He had bags forming underneath his eyelids which held bronze colored irises. He stumbled forward. Silence grew between the two before he finally broke it.

"Where can I find Queen Elsa?" He muttered as his eyes searched the room.

"What are your intentions once you do?" Elsa replied in a stiff tone suddenly realizing the dangerous situation she had placed herself in.

"I need to speak with her." He retorted as though it should have been an obvious thing. He looked down and made eye contact. It dawned on the individual that the person he was seeking was placed right in front of him. "I apologize for not recognizing you on the spot. It is undeniable by your appearance that you are whom I seek." He lowered his stance into a bow to further assure that he meant no harm. "Who are you, and what could you possibly want from me at this time in the night? It is illogical for you to come forth asking questions expecting me to be awake." She began wishing to investigate the stranger that had arrived on her door step.

"But as you can see, my timing is impeccable, for here you are. My name is Prince Nikolas of Cariden. I need your assistance. It is far more important than trade prospects or a partnership that you may assume I am here for." He took a cautious step back to straighten his body out to match the stance a person of royalty was expected to maintain. Elsa could finally view the attire he was wearing. It was similar to the normal uniform of a captain or heir to the throne. He had black trousers matching his hair and a red coat holding multiple Medals of Honor most likely bestowed upon him by his father wishing to make his son stand out to those he greeted. Nikolas quickly stuck his hand out hoping to receive a handshake customary of monarchs. After analyzing the look of confusion and slight anger flashing across her face, he withdrew his hand and began to talk once more.

"May we sit and discuss this situation in a different setting?" His weary indicated that he had most likely traveled all into the night to be her company. She was very familiar with the location of his origin due to her studying of the map that hung in her bedroom for the thirteen years of her solitude. It was not far off from Arendelle, but definitely more than a single day's trip.

She turned on her heel and led the man to her office. The similar corridors melted into his tired mind and he was sure she was taking his around in circles before they arrived at an ajar door. She entered guiding him into her lair of diplomatic decisions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again. I thought that I might as well post the second chapter. Please tell me what you think. Thanks.**

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Chapter 2

"I need to make this discussion as quick as possible. I must prepare myself for the day ahead of me tomorrow." Elsa sighed attempting to not let her exhaustion slip into her voice.

"I apologize if I did wake you from your slumber. Do you mind my asking, your Majesty, what makes this such a hurry?" Nikolas could not contain his curious nature. It was not often that he was given the opportunity to have social interaction with a person outside his own Kingdom, let alone someone so similar to himself.

"It is not your business to know my affairs." Elsa affirmed.

"Well, I am unsure if I can make this conversation very quick. It is important information, and you may wish to now more details than I am willing to offer by the end." Nikolas was honestly frustrated by the thought that his journey would end so quickly. If she were to reject his plea for help, then his whole trip would be in vain. Elsa glanced towards the clock. It was nearing one in the morning. She knew she could give in to Anna's wishes and sleep until noon, but Elsa desired to spend as much time with her sister as possible.

"Alright. Go ahead and begin. Do not hurry too much if it worries you."

Nikolas gathered his thoughts. Unsure on how to begin, he coughed into his hand hoping that his conversation would not be cut short by the thing that he wished to speak of.

"I shall. I came not solely as a trade prospect, but as a man requesting help. Your Majesty, we are similar in ways you could not possibly imagine. I came as soon as I heard word of the powers that grace you. You were able to do something I can only dream of. Controlling yourself." Nikolas's hands began to tremble and the dark thoughts lingering in the shadows of his mind were threatening to appear. Elsa's sharp blue eyes bore into his. "Please do not be frightened by what I say. I do not wish to harm you or your kingdom. I am the heir to a throne I cannot take unless I find help. My father would have me exiled before he would let a monster rule his beloved home. I too possess a curse that has gifted me with powers I wish not to have. It has left me hiding in isolation unable to confront my family. I have gone years without saying a word to the ones I love most. I had to leave in the dead of the night to avoid having to further tear my heart in two by the why they view me. I am a monster. You are the only one who can help me become stable." Nikolas stood and paced the room as he let the words he spoke settle in her mind. His voice had cracked and gone hoarse letting the emotions he had so dearly tried to hold come out. Steam rolled off his body as his fear boiled within his heart.

"I don't understand what you are saying…" Elsa's voice dropped to a whisper as she tried not to stare at the man falling apart in front of her. When they finally made eye contact, he thrust his hand out into the open air removing his glove and let flames erupt from his finger tips. The danced along his palm and almost reached his forearm before he clenched his hand and teeth to extinguish the fire. A small trail of smoke drifted up to the top of the room. Elsa laid her head onto her desk. She contemplated her options. She could dismiss this man leaving him able to burn her entire nation in an inferno of rage, she could throw his into the dungeon leaving him there to avoid letting his powers harm her beloved, or she could help him. He has the only person she had ever encountered that understood the troubles of not being in control of the element that spilled from your body.

Silence enveloped the room. Nikolas had placed himself once more in the chair adjacent to her desk. When her head rose from its previous position, she viewed the Prince distraught. She could visibly see the sobs racking through his body. Silent tears fell onto the floor in front of him. She knew then what she had to do.

"Do you have a place to stay for the time being?" She spoke over a whisper to ensure he heard her question. Finally, he stretched relieving him from his crunched inward posture.

"I have a cabin, not far off from the town that I am currently residing in. I could continue to stay there if necessary." Nikolas's voice betrayed him, showing hope at her question.

"Do not return tomorrow, but the day after. Do not hesitate to enter. Make sure that you do not arrive until after midnight. I do not want you to run into my sister, Anna. No one can know that I am helping you, understood?" Elsa rose from her chair to escort the man out. Nikolas quickly stood and grabbed Elsa's gloved hand in his own. She refused to make eye contact. Human interaction was not her forte. She was determined not to let it show and she withdrew her hand and walked the man to the door. When they arrived, the clock struck two. Time flew quickly when it is an issue. He stepped out of the doorway into the light of the stars and the moon. Elsa could see the slight scar creeping up his neck. She knew she had to remember to eventually question him about it. He turned his head slightly showing only the profile of his face. He murmured, "You are unaware of how greatly I appreciate this." And with a flash, he was gone into the night.

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**I realize that this a commonly used thing in Frozen pieces, but it is impossible not to ponder the thought of another individual similar to Elsa but her polar opposite. It intrigues me so much that I could not contain myself from writing what I thought would occur. Thanks so much.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was difficult for Elsa to keep her mind from straying to the conversation that had occurred that night. Thankfully Anna was up for sleeping later into the day as long as they shared a bed. Anna had demanded that she was the big spoon in their sleeping arrangement, even though Elsa was the eldest. Anna placed her head in the crook of Elsa's neck as she delved into a deeper realm of sleep. Anna did not question her sister's strange decision to postpone their merriment until later in the day. She was just glad that he sister was by her side.

When Elsa finally awoke, they began the day's festivities.

The sisters ignored breakfast due to their late awakening and went straight to talking. Anna could talk to Elsa for hours. She would up against the headboard and hold Anna's head in her lap. She would softly stroke the hair on the top of her head while Anna went on and on about anything that came to her mind. Elsa would occasionally add input here and there, but generally refrained from breaking her sister's flow of thoughts.

Anna loved it. She loved being next to Elsa. She loved her laughter when Anna would utter something completely absurd. She loved the feeling of her cool fingers as they slid through her hair. It was moments like those that she forced herself to never forget. They sat in that position until lunch rolled around. They headed down the main road in Arendelle to a café not too far out from the castle. The walk remained rather uneventful. The expected amount of people fawned over the chance to be in their presence. It was usual, but still unsettling for Elsa. She did not like being the center of attention. It did not always end in her favor.

They eventually arrived at the destination. Luckily for Elsa, it was an oasis out of the summer heat. They entered the small venue. The walls were wooden panels and the floor was a crème tile. It was not aesthetically appealing, but the food was delicious. Anna drug Elsa to the table farthest back from the center of the room. It was obvious she wanted to avoid the eyes of the other patrons. Unfortunately, the girls were awarded the pleasure of having a provocative waitress dying to get on their good side. She was constantly referring to them as Your Majesty and Your Highness. At one point of the meal she flopped down next to Anna and attempted to engage her in a conversation revolving around the lack of potential husbands that came through the café every day. Anna tried with all her might to be polite to the woman, but she was encroaching on her time alone with Elsa. Surprisingly, Anna asked to leave before she could even get her hands on chocolate. It was entirely too out of character for her sister for Elsa to say anything but yes to her. When they emerged back out onto the street, Anna let out a giant sigh.

"Why would that woman not take a hint!?" Anna dramatically flopped onto a nearby bench to exaggerate further her exhaustion of having to deal with the woman.

"Hey, Ginger could have been a lot worse. She could have frozen your heart." Elsa countered halfheartedly. Anna remained not amused by Elsa's joke and continued to complain of the woman's insistent pleas for a man worthy of her marriage. She finally pulled herself off of the hot bench and pulled Elsa along the road with a bounce to her step.

Anna had to purchase chocolate on their outing, so she suddenly pulled Elsa into an itty bitty store along the street nearly ripping her arm off. Anna raved over every piece of chocolate in the place. She finally selected some choices pieces as well as a few for Kristoff.

When they finally reached the castle walls again, Anna was dying to take her treats to Kristoff. With a slight giggle, Elsa relinquished her sister's arm as long as she promised to meet her back in the library within the hour. Anna skipped off into the royal stables calling back, "See you soon." The absence of Anna left Elsa to her thoughts. What was she going to do to help with stranger? It was hard enough to control her own powers, but to help someone else was a different matter. She knew she would have to try her best.

Anna creaked the door open hoping to surprise her older sister. Elsa surprised her in the end. She was facing the wall as tears fell down her face. Anna grabbed her from behind and held her tight. She didn't need to know what was causing her sister pain, she just needed to help it go away.

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**Hello! I hoped you enjoyed that. I will try to post the next portion when I finish changing some aspects of it. This is not my favorite of the chapters, nor are the beginning to. I am not the best at introductions, so I hope that this will get better as time and the story progress. Thank you very much for reading it. Please tell me what you think and if I need to alter anything.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello. Sorry if this is short. I am trying to get the story set up before I can really get into wait I want to. Tell me what you think. Thanks.**

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Elsa paced her office. Prince Nikolas was supposed to arrive at any moment. The grandfather clock in the corner struck signaling that the time was midnight. Her panic on what was about to unfold reached its climax when a soft knock was placed on the door and reverberated around her office. She had unknowingly frosted every window when she clenched her fists. She reached for the door knob turning it and becoming face to face with a strung out man.

They stared at each other unsure of how to proceed. Elsa grabbed the man's arm and quietly led him down the hallway towards the courtyard. She paused putting her hand towards the man to indicate that they should stop. She placed her ear against Anna's door. She heard soft snores and continued on her path. Once they reached the courtyard, Elsa did not stop walking. She further led the man into the woods. She silently cursed herself for not bringing a weapon in case he was not who he claimed. A sword would be useless against a fire wielding man.

Once they reached an open clearing, Elsa finally spoke.

"Further explain to me why you're here and what you want from me?"

The Prince avoided eye contact. He was trying to not let his emotions show through. He had never told anyone of his powers besides a few members of his family. Nikolas knew his brother would be better in his shoes. His brother was better at everything from archery to pleasing his family. His manipulation of words was flawless. He could convince anyone of anything he pleased.

"I need you help before I lose my family. I can't hide it anymore. It is taking control of me. I want you to tell me everything you do to keep it in." Nikolas was desperate. He threw his hands in frustration. Could she even help him?

"How did you know who I am?" Elsa inquired maintaining a safe distance from the troubled man. He ran his hands threw his hair, smoke billowing from his fingertips.

"My 'friend' was talking about your kingdom. He is a trading partner of a nearby place. They were fearful of what could happen if the winter stretched further. I knew I had to find you." Nikolas had confirmed one of Elsa's many fears. The rumors of her powers were spreading farther and farther. It could either result in the end of Arendelle, or countless new partners. Neither was appealing to the Queen.

"I am unsure of what help I am to you." Elsa hated to crush the man's dreams of finally be in control of his powers, but in all honesty, Elsa did not even know if she was herself.

"Tell me everything you know! Even if it is little, please." Nikolas dropped to his knees in the grass. The little patch surrounding his feet quickly caught on fire. Nikolas rose to his feet in a panic not knowing how to stop it. Elsa seized the situation.

"Just take a deep breath. Relax. Control it. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. I can take care of it." Elsa said as soothingly as she possibly could. She let her position in leadership as Queen take over her. She knew she had to help. She couldn't lose the chance to know someone her understood her deeper than any other possibly could.

"I can't just relax. I never have been able to." Nikolas said and looked to her pleadingly. She pushed her hand outward removing her glove. She never wore them around Anna due to the discomfort it caused her. She let the ice flow through her veins and out of her body successfully quenching the flames. Nikolas looked in awe gliding his hands over the destroyed vegetation.

"I need to be able to do that." He sat backwards onto the ground and ran his fingers through his coarse obsidian hair, the button on his cuff slightly catching on his bangs. He continued to stare at the curled, ashy pasture. A cricket landed upon the patch, but fled in disgust.

"Then you need to relax." Elsa took a sit next to the man and glanced only once at his face. The scar enticed her curiosity once more.

"Return again tomorrow night. Be prepared to focus." Elsa said to him before she turned and left him in the meadow.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Elsa was a creature of habit. She had been her entire life, from how she prepared herself in the morning to the amount of times she checked on Anna throughout the day. She found a method to her madness. So naturally, Elsa and Nikolas created a rhythm to their meetings.

The same knock would arrive every night at midnight, and Elsa would lead him to the same meadow. He would begin by lighting a patch of grass on fire and attempting to keep himself in check.

It took three nights before he managed to make the flame dim. When he did, he ran in a wide arch screaming for joy. Elsa froze his feet to the ground in frustration. He knew that no one could know of their meetings. He settled his heart and tried again. She was silently thrilled by the progress. The sooner he was content with his level of control of his gifts, the sooner he would exit Elsa's life. Though she enjoyed the company, someone other than Anna, it was all too foreign for her to become comfortable.

Elsa came to accept the kind of character Nikolas was. He was impulsive and brash similar to the element he wielded. His lack of exposure to people left him without a filter. Whatever came across his mind exited immediately out of his mouth. This resulted in many sarcastic remarks and on the rare occasion, a compliment.

After seven days, the clearing was void of insects. The grass destroyed in all but the middle where Elsa stood during each of the time he would practice. He managed to only light three trees on fire. They only stayed for an hour every night except Saturdays. Those were the days she reserved solely for Anna.

It was a time consuming process that left her increasingly tired throughout her week. Kai had seemly notice her change in behavior, and took to waking her an hour later than usual. She knew that it was not like a Queen ignore her duties for rest, but she reluctantly accepted it.

Elsa finally decided it would be easier for the man to move inside the castle walls. She realized that he didn't have enough control over his powers to purposely destroy her kingdom, but the possibility still bothered Elsa's mind. He was placed in the same hallway as Elsa incase an emergency did occur.

"Why do I have to stay in that room all day, Queen Elsa? I want to be free like a majestic eagle, soaring through the skies." Nikolas complained. He always seemed to be complaining about something every time they met. She realized it was due to his lack of exposure to people. He wanted nothing more than companionship. After two weeks of giving an hour and night to helping this man, she decided what she could do to finally silence his constant moaning and groaning.

Her hopes that it would quench his constant complaints were crushed.

"Do you really wish for something to do during the day?" Elsa asked after listening to him gripe about missing the change in venue from his closed quarters.

Nikolas nodded like a small child while fluttering his eyelashes and jutting out his lower lip. At times, he was too sarcastic for his own good.

"I will retrieve you in the mornings. You may join me in my office as I do 'royalty required' duties. It will give you something to do besides 'looking out of your window in hopes of something to peak your interest and stimulate your deteriorating mind'." Elsa said quoting Nikolas from another conversation two nights prior. She sat on the clean patch of grass and watched him try to control the flame consuming the small area of the meadow.

Nikolas sighed, clearly not content with her offer, "Fine. But will you at least bring me something to read, Queen Elsa?" Nikolas ungracefully plopped on the grass next to her. Then fell back onto the ground in a huff.

"Books were my lifeline. I would gladly provide you with them, as long as you restrain from torching them. Also, Nikolas, you can refer to me as Elsa. I feel uncomfortable being called Queen." She said looking back at the man with his face covered with his hands in frustration. He peeked between the spaces in his fingers at her and chuckled.

Elsa turned her head towards the stars. They reminded her of the nights she would gaze out her bedroom window. She hoped that Anna was at the very same moments so that she may share her view of the stars with her.

"They are as beautiful as you, Elsa." Nikolas said softly as though he never really meant to say it out loud. She tried to get a view of his face, but he was too preoccupied counting the constellations.

She examined the man lying beside her. He was tall, quite possibly an inch or two over Kristoff. He was not built like the mountain man. He was slender with a slight tint to his skin. He moved in a fluid motion, like the flames he wielded.

He had a plethora of strange characteristics and skills that often surprised the Queen. One, being his ability to sing with the vibrato of a veteran opera singer. She had no earthly idea why he chose belt out tones as the climbed the hill to their clearing. She assumed that it was technique to properly clear his mind and focus on the task at hand. What she didn't know was that Nikolas did it solely to see her smile.

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**Hello again. Still not my favorite, but I am getting closer to where I want to be. Please tell me what you think. Thanks. **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

They fell into a normal routine. Every day except Saturday, Nikolas would spend the entirety of the daylight hours assisting/annoying Elsa.

Elsa would awake and go to the dining hall for breakfast every morning with Anna. They would engage in usual conversation. She would grab a muffin as she exited through the kitchen. On the way through the final corridor towards her office, she would give three precise knocks onto Nikolas's door. He would slowly peek his head out into the hallway to check to ensure Anna did not find him. He would softly place his footsteps to avoid announcing his presence.  
It was not difficult transporting his stuff. He managed to make the move in one night. His only mistake was dropping a trunk on his way up the stair case. Elsa took a sharp intake of air and held it until she heard her sister continuing her snores down the conjoined hallway.

Now that he resided in the castle, he spent a good portion of his time watching Elsa work. He would never admit it to her face, but he silently enjoyed watching her face contort at the blasphemy on the majority of most of the pages. She would never admit to his face the fact that she noticed his sly glances. Or the fact that he constantly forgot to clean the muffin crumbs from his face.

When Elsa left for lunch in the dining hall with Anna, Nik would slip out the castle's back doors. There was a café he would constantly visit every day. He kept himself entertained with the ditzy waitress who constantly pined over him. She would reserve his table in the farthest corner every day at exactly 11:47 a.m. No matter how many times he repeated that he was not looking for her affection, she still pestered him.

"Hello Ginger. How are you doing today?" Though Nik didn't like her very much, he had to be polite. It was a royalty thing.

"Hello to you too, Prince Nikolas. I am doing fantastic today." She purred at the poor customer. She leaned over his table trying to give him the best option for staring down her chest. He kept his eyes on her face knowing not to provoke her.

"I'll take what I usually get today." She reluctantly left his table leaving him in silence. It was how he preferred. She tried to add a seductive shimmy to her walk, but Nikolas just shook his head and chuckled.

They spent many hours in silence. Nik had spent many long days watching his Father slave over a countless number of pages. Nik knew the etiquette required in this days. You remain quiet, and if you have a question, you wait for a break in the papers. You were never to start a conversation, but you could hold one if the Queen were to begin one. Over the past week, he had read a total of seven books as Elsa confronted each pile of work. It was tedious, but she was slowly catching up on the work left behind in the wake of her Eternal Winter. When she got extremely distraught, she would toss the paper in a pile close to Nik's feet. When he would reach a stopping point in his reading, he would reach down and select a few pieces of choice paper.

He had grown to become an expert at fabricating paper airplanes. When he stayed in his room for long periods of time, he would create planes to toss out of his high window. He created a point system. First, by distance, but eventually it was by what he managed to hit. His jackpot was when he managed to hit a man in the back of the head. The man quickly swung around looking for the culprit. He ended up slapping the man behind him. Nik sat back from the window not wishing to watch the fight unfold. As his age progressed, so did his powers. It became a matter of if he could create a plane quick enough to avoid torching his aerial weapon. When he reached fourteen, it became too much. With help from Elsa, he was better in control, and planes no longer became a difficulty.

The point of his game was to see if he could manage to get the plane stuck between the cross sections of her braid. Elsa dealt with his annoying behavior by providing him with more engrossing books. She provided him with a very large book from her favorite collection. He went a whole day without launching an aerial assault on the Queen's hair.

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**Hello, again. Sorry that this is relatively short. Thanks so much for reading. I had read something about Paperman prior to writing this, hence the airplanes.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It became apparent to Queen Elsa that Nikolas was lacking extremely much in the social skills department. He was constantly unsure of what to say and when to speak. It frustrated Elsa on two ends of the spectrum. She did not wish to spend their time in silence, but the incessant talking would drive her insane. One occasion occurred three days after finishing Elsa's most prized book.

"Elsa, why did she kill him? She had no right to kill him. Her feelings for murder disgusted me. Why did she do it?" Nikolas inquired. The book she had suggested was the most prized of her collection. She loved it dearly and would normally jump at the chance to discuss its redeeming qualities, but after seven hours of interrogation over the book's underlying meanings and hidden plot elements, Elsa was desperate to divert the attention to anything else.

"I have said this countless times prior, Nikolas. I am not certain whether or not her intentions were misleading, nor will I ever be. The text is the text. Interpretations are varied depending on the reader. Can we discuss something else?!" Elsa retorted. He was currently supposed to be deeply breathing to calm his mind from the element lurking inside the depths of his body. Nikolas was anything but calm when they were outside. The moment his feet touch the foliage and his voice can no longer be heard by the nearby residents, he lets loose. Any thought or feeling he had throughout the day MUST be talked about. He was a product of his environment, which was isolation. If he stayed quiet any longer passed the amount of time required, he was certain he would die from an overdose of unvoiced thoughts and ideas. Elsa was quite the opposite.

"But why did she have to kill him? The man was innocent. He was her husband? Why would she do it?" Nikolas huffed. He sighed heavily and fell backwards onto the toasted grass from his upright position. "Why?"

Elsa reached her breaking point. He tossed her hand forward and with a shot of ice, Nikolas's lips were frozen slightly shut. Elsa rose from her position on the ground across from him and began her descent back to the castle. Nikolas looked to her with panic in his eyes. He could easy heat the ice away, but he knew better than to ruin Elsa's fun. She seemed to rarely have it in between Queenly duties and practicing constant control over her powers.

Nikolas groaned slightly causing Elsa to turn slightly in his direction. With a slight smirk gracing her features she called out, "I do not know why, nor do I wish to know why. Next time, just shut up." She turned on her heel and left Nikolas alone in the clearing. He knew then that he wished to do anything to please the Queen. The very thought frightened him. He knew better than to drift close to an individual, especially one with other priorities holding over him, but he was unable to chase away the impulse to follow her every direction.

He placed his hand over his mouth and melted the barrier his inner and outer voice. His palm glowed as though embers were embedded into his skin. He resumed his position facing the stars in the night sky. He couldn't help but compare their beauty to that of Elsa's. With that last urge, he uttered the last word of the night. "Shit…"

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**Hey there. I apologize for the fact that this is the shortest chapter yet, and I shall make up for it by possibly adding more later tonight. I might even add more if a certain school system would decided to be so kind as to allow me the pleasure of a day alone. My car is small and can only handle so much ice... Thanks so much.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The clanging and clattering of metal against porcelain filled the air. Whether Elsa wanted to deny it or not, Anna never took her eyes off Elsa's face. She kept her head tucked low to her chest unlike the regal posture she had established all throughout her life. Anna huffed an immense amount of oxygen out of her lungs and stopped all her motions to stare down Elsa. It was moments before she ever began to speak. She had practiced the conversation repeatedly to Kristoff before she was able to muster the required courage to inquire.

"Who is the 'guest' lurking around the house?" Anna asked. She went directly her point. It was illogical to prolong the uncomfortable argument longer than necessary.

"I have no clue what you are talking about." Anna groaned aloud. She had anticipated as much from her sister.

"Don't try to deny it. His footsteps aren't loud, but they are there. Annndd, I kind of eavesdropped on your office yesterday afternoon."

Elsa shot a disapproving look in Anna's direction. "You have no business encroaching on royal affairs."

"Come on! I am just a little curious. Let me know already, Elsa!"

"If you must know, he is a future trade partner to cover our losses due to my 'accident'."

"It wasn't that big of a deal, was it?" Elsa again focused on Anna with an appearance of undeniable confusion.

"I froze the entire kingdom, almost killed you, almost had myself killed, and it was not a big deal? It caused us to relinquish two very large partnerships. It nearly cost us our entire nation. It was larger than you could have imagined." Elsa huffed. She let false anger wash over her to avoid to possibility of tears erupting.

"I thought it was kind of great..." Anna replied with her voice trailing off and developed a sudden interest in the food she had shunned to disperse the silence in the room and unveil her curiosity to her sister. Elsa rose and with a turn on her heel exited in a graceful manner. The only evidence of her discomfort was the frozen bowl of soup left and the head of the table.

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Anna 'gracefully' swung the doors of the stables wide open narrowly missing Kristoff's face. It was late and he was not expecting company, so the forcefulness of the opening doors shocked him. He let out a small yelp and cringed inward. He only visible released the tension rising in his shoulders when he recognized the redheaded girl. He let out a sigh of relief and embarrassingly greeted his guest.

"Hey Anna." His voice went relatively unheard as she crossed the stables groaning the whole distance. He turned to close the doors to cut off the draft swirling into the room just as Anna swung her body over the reindeer.

"Kristoff! Why is she doing it all over again? We had just gotten to normal!" Anna cried out to her consort as she laid over Sven. Her head was strategically placed directly on the top of the reindeer's skull amongst the vast amount of points of his antlers. Anna was investigating how Kristoff would appear if gravity were to shift due to the belly up nature of her current position.

"She is probably very busy, and this guy sounds pretty important. I'm not trying to say that you are wrong, I see the way you're looking at me Anna, but I am drifting towards siding with Elsa on this matter. Without resources, Arendelle would be reduced to nothing." Kristoff retorted.

Anna lifted her eyes to the distraught pacing man. She wondered when the awkwardness of their courtship would be shed from them, but she knew it was for all good reasons. Kristoff was frightened that he would make a mistake. Anna couldn't help but giggle at the nervous manner in which he picked his fingers when she asked for his opinion. She knew she had to give into him. He was right.

Elsa had to protect their country, even if it meant temporary seclusion. She eventually let go of the breath that she was unknowingly holding in her lungs. She removed herself from the animal's back and approached Kristoff. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into and an embrace. He returned the show of affection careful not to let his hands stray too far down from her back. He never knew if Elsa was lurking in the shadows. He knew that she did not disapprove of their relationship, but he would rather not be caught up in the Queen's protective wrath for inappropriately touching her sister. He knew better than that.

"When can you stop being right, so I can win for a change?" Anna's voice was muffled by the material covering Kristoff chest. She turned her head to the side and squished her cheek placing her ear above his heart. They stood in silence relishing each other's presence while Anna listened to the steady beating of his heart.

Kristoff never spent time with actual humans in his youth, and because trolls aren't the 'gentlest' or creatures, he appreciated the smaller things. Possibly more than Anna would ever know.

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**As promised, here is chapter 8. Thank you so much for reading this. When I first came up with the idea for this, I never intended to write it down, let alone post it for people to view. So I really am glad that people like it. (By the way, thanks for being a good friend MG. I have needed it.)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Nikolas had finished his novel quite prior to what the Queen had anticipated, and due to the lack of paper at his disposal, boredom overtook his mind. Which unfortunately for Elsa, meant he would attempt to converse.

"I hope that this doesn't sound out of line, but I like your laughter. It is almost as great as when you blush." Almost as if on cue, red crept onto Elsa's face. With skin as pale as her's, it was impossible to hide from him. He secretly kept a tally in his notebook at how many times in occurred in a day. It made him wonder how she would handle being intoxicated, lacking a filter on her mouth.

"I hope you know that it is. You know my intentions with our arrangement." Elsa said trying not to get frustrated with the way he calmly made hints towards his feelings for her. A courtship was not what she was seeking, merely a confidant.

"I cannot help that I speak the honest truth." He lowered his face into his book. He knew that she disapproved of him uttering such things, but he could not help it. Not telling her made his insides burn fiercer and the fire threatened to consume him.

"Can you please stop? I have grown tired of you speaking in such a manner." Elsa said staring into his eyes. It was a lie, but she couldn't put herself at risk. If she were to give into what he was suggesting, she didn't know how either of their powers would endure such emotions.

"Fine then, Ice Queen." Nik placed the book down on the corner of her desk and exited the office. He no longer cared if he got caught. He no longer cared about anything.

* * *

It wasn't until their scheduled practice that he saw Elsa again. He waited for her at midnight in the courtyard. He clenched tightly onto the railing separating the patio from the vegetation. He had lifted his shirt to further view the damage inflicted on his torso. The moonlight only made his skin look angrier. He slowly ran his fingers over the ridges of the uneven surface of the scar tissue.

Elsa chose the impeccable timing of his exposure to arrive. He quickly threw his shirt over himself and turned to her. She stood beside him grabbing the railing.

They stood in silence looking over the plant life. Nikolas fought against the urges to turn his head ever so slightly to view Elsa's expression. He could only imagine how beautiful her features were in the light from the moon falling over the landscape. He couldn't let himself to it, and instead kept a stern face and analyzed the spring time flowers beginning to bloom.

"I am sorry for getting so upset." Elsa spoke in a hush tone as if every individual in Arendelle might hear her voice.

Nikolas couldn't deny his frustration any longer. Any anger fed the fire burning at his stomach. "You know what? I am not sorry for saying it. It is how I feel, and when I don't say it, I lose more and more of myself to the inferno. I cannot ignore the fact that I have feelings for you." Nikolas said. He no longer cared enough to ignore the topic she wished to brush under the rug. She had no response to his claim.

Elsa was wishing so desperately for the conversation to be through. She wished for life to return to normalcy and balance. Balance in her life meant that she were alone. It was how she always existed. She longed for the familiarity of her own isolation.

He gave in and faced the Queen. She was as breathtaking as he feared. The look of pure desolation filling his irises concerned the Queen, but she stood her ground. There was no point in turning back from the already begun conversation. Nikolas addressed her directly.

"When I said I enjoy your laughter, it is because I enjoy it most when _I_ am the cause. When I said I enjoy your blushing, it is because I enjoy it most when _I_ am the cause." He felt the metal railing melting under his grip. He let go and peered down at what he had done. The metal smoked and two distinct palm marks where formed.

He turned his entire body, relinquishing his ability to strangle the railing between his clenching fists, to face Elsa. She reluctantly met his eyes. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her pale forehead in between two locks of platinum hair reflecting in the moonlight. He drew back and stated, "Don't you understand that I cannot lie about how I feel anymore."

* * *

They did not resume practicing. Elsa had watched for three nights as he silently left the castle seeking the refuge of the wooded area, but she did not pursue him. She discontinued stalking him, with hopes that he would keep practicing without her assistance. What good was the Queen when the recent events had caused her powers to fluctuate, and her control dim.

They did however stick to their original routine in her office each morning. They did so without a single word spoken between them for many days until they encountered one another in the library late one night. Elsa had reached her wit's end. She was unfamiliar with the patterns and downfalls that came along with friendship, but once the possibility of having one came into her life, she became more desperate to not let it slip through her fingers.

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**Hello! Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting. I really appreciate it. I warn you that I am arriving at possibly one of my favorite sections to write in his piece. **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Anna was frustrated to say the least. Elsa was growing ever silent, and she could not help but wonder why. They had spent their usual Saturday in each other's presence, but something was pestering the Queen's mind that Anna was dying to discover.

She was absolutely convinced it was a result of the man lurking around the castle's rooms. She had tried (and failed) many times at getting a glimpse of the stranger. She was currently sneaking along the walls to the corridor that belonged to the Queen. She had tried nearly every other place the man could be hiding, but she came up empty handed. She burst through the first room to find it unsurprisingly barren.

Elsa left her room just in time to view Anna entering the guest room adjacent to Nikolas's. She hadn't seen him yet that day and was fearful that he was residing in the room.

Anna slowly crept to the next door, unaware of her sister's presence. She took a deep breath and reached her hand for the remaining door knob. She squealed slightly when her cover was blown by her sister's hand grasping her shoulder.

"ELSA. Hey, hi. Hello there. What, uh, brings you to the castle this morning?" Anna said chuckling, whilst never releasing her grip on the door. She had to gauge her sister's reaction closely to confirm that her heat sensing skills were indeed real.

"Anna. What are you doing?" Elsa asked while raising her eyebrow slightly. Her voice was louder than the former at a last discrete attempt to alert the man of the possible princess sighting.

Anna found no change in her sister emotions from the normal and relinquished her grip. Her shoulders fell, and she looped her arm into the Queen's. She made note to reaffirm her findings later that evening, but Elsa knew better than to let the girl return to the corridor. They continued their usual Saturday ritual of consuming chocolate and other glorious bonding activities.

"Goodnight, Anna." Elsa said as she crossed the room and left the doorway. Anna almost spoke to ask her to return to her side and they could continue their talking, but Anna's words did not leave her mouth. The evidence was minuscule, but not nonexistent. It was rare when her sister's shoulder rode lower than the highest level they could possibly achieve. Her smiles were present, but they did not reach her eyes.

"Goodnight, Elsa."

* * *

She called out then held her breath. She listened closely for the soft footsteps exiting the hallway and counted to thirty before removing herself from her bed. She stuck her head out and checked both directions (and up) to make sure that no one was watching her. She flew through the castle, only stopping her strides when she reached the stable doors.

Though Kristoff had a specific room in the castle, he chose to spend most of his time along with Sven. Anna chose correctly in her locating of the man, and pondered again the actuality of heat sensing capabilities.

Anna entered the room in her normal 'graceful' fashion and flopped face first into a pile of hay. Kristoff walked to her side and sat on the ground next to her body piled in a heap of bones, flesh, and dress fabric.

"Did everything go okay?" He asked softy. His response came with the shuffling of hay and a shaking head. Kristoff reached his hand out and gently rubbed circles onto Anna's back just as he does when Sven is aching from a long night's haul.

"Do you want me to cheer you up?" Kristoff suggested. Anna rolled over in the hay in exasperation and groaned aloud.

"What could you possibly have in mind?" She said before being lifted to her feet by the mountain man. He grabbed her hand and led her to the reindeer. Though she was fully capable of placing herself onto the animal's back, he insisted on hoisting her into the air unto Sven. He knew that Anna secretly reveled in his strength, so he took the small opportunities to make her proud.

They rode in the hillside for a couple of hours. Anna quickly drifting into slumber and almost fell onto the ground multiple times if it went for almost all of Kristoff's attention being directed towards the human residing in his embrace. When they reached the destination, he roused Anna awake. He grabbed her hand and led her along to the overturned ground directly above a small lake. The water was almost as still as glass, save for the occasional waves breaking the surface. Kristoff's timing was impeccable, as the dawn was breaking over the horizon. Anna had underestimated how early into the morning their adventure was.

Anna draped her legs over the ledge and watched the reflection dance as she swung her legs. Kristoff was fascinated with the times she resorted back to the mentality of a child. He loved those moments with a passion. After being abandoned by his parents, Kristoff was forced to progress into a man before truly setting into his childlike mindset. Though the trolls tried desperately to provide everything possible for the young boy, a guy could only live off mushrooms and rain water for so long. It was a full year with living with the trolls before he returned to the ice trade. Sven was ever growing and his capacity increased with Kristoff's skills. The ice harvesting began as a way of making ends meet and quiet his stomach howling in hunger. He had the trolls convinced that it was something he truly enjoyed participating in, in an attempt to appease their minds. He did not like it when they worried over him. It wasn't until one fateful day that he saw the true beauty in ice.

Kristoff had been frightened to say the least when he caught wind of a misplaced strike on a glacier taking one man's life. Kristoff had never been more cautious, but that didn't stop him from working late into the night when the wind howled as it swayed through the ridges of the mountain side and the cold took over the feeling left in his appendages. He was setting his own personal record of ice harvested in a day's work, and he was anxious to get new supplies. If he managed to continue working on, he might have acquired enough ice to purchase a new pickaxe. Any boy like him was dying to strive to be the best, even if it did cost them their pinky toe.

It was an unusual circumstance that he found his love appearing from. It would be assumed that he found his love through the light caught a certain way off the frozen liquid's surface, but instead he came face to face with his passion when he plunged deep into the waters.

His head was swimming as his hands roamed the underbelly of the ice sheet searching for an entry point. When his fingers reached the opening, he sprung forth from the water. He realized at that moment that ice was everything he could never be. It was unforgiving, impervious, invulnerable, and in every aspect beautiful. His new found respect led him to find the beauty in the way the ice appeared and disappeared, just like the people in his life. But unlike his parents, it always returned when the time was right. He could not tell you why that that encounter had resulted in his passion, it was just what occurred, and he couldn't forget it.

Anna slipped her hand into Kristoff's much larger one. Her soft palm contrasted greatly to the withered skin of his. She enjoyed it. Just like Elsa and Anna, sometimes two opposite things can create a love unlike any other.

Anna let her head fall into the soft material covering Kristoff's shoulder. His eyes grazed the landscape in front of them. Spring was arriving and the ice was receding to the shorelines. Only a few sheets danced upon the surface of the lake. The sun began the process of rising over the mountain ranged overlooking the water. Anna clutched Kristoff's hand tighter as her eyes locked onto the North Mountain. Her eyes skimmed the mountain searching for smallest hint. It came when the sun rose behind the mountain, and a slight shimmer was seen. Anna could happily inform Elsa that her monumental structure still stood proudly, or at least she hoped.

Anna fell asleep against Kristoff, so he scooped her into his arms, princess style and carted her off on his trusty steed's back to the castle. Anna drifted in and out of consciousness, her dreams differing from the usual and into the realm of riding upon a dragon's skin the ocean. Anna's last memory of her bouts with consciousness was when they finally arrived at Anna's quarters. Kristoff gently removed her shoes and laid her upon the bed. He placed a blanket on her body, and without the knowledge of her current awareness of the situation, he placed a kiss on her foreword and for the first time muttered the words, "I am completely in love with you." Anna let her eyes open slightly as she watched her mountain man exit the room. She closed her eyes as a smile graced her features. She nestled her head further against the blanket and drifted off until the afternoon.

* * *

**Hello again. I got a request for more Anna and Kristoff, so I caved. I started with a small idea of this, and kind of ran with it. I did not originally intend for this portion to be so much longer than the others, but it just happened. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Please tell me what you think. **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Elsa entered the library late the following night. The severed trades had caused the consumption of her time to increase, but the week's battle was fought. She had decided that she needed a relief from the tension building in her neck. She had not expected to find another soul when she emerged through the doorway. He was placed directly across the room with his face deeply submersed into the book's pages. She quietly advanced the love seat precisely in front of the hearth. She could no longer handle the silence enveloping them.

"What was your life like?" Elsa whispered across the room to him as a last resort to break the awkward aura hanging around them. Nikolas removed his nose from the 'captivating' novel on Arendelle water systems that he couldn't find the courage to put down. His eyes rose to meet hers.

"What exactly do you mean by that statement?" He strove to keep his frustration in check, but the annoyance slipped into his voice. The Queen had all but decided to drop any form of contact with him, and now she sat across the couch at him investigating his face for some form of openness. He had tried to give her the space and silence he believed she wanted and required, which was to no avail.

"What was your life like before you entered my castle walls." Elsa replied. Nikolas's body rose from the furniture. He paced in front of the fireplace absorbing the comforting felling of heat on his legs. An idea shined through his demeanor.

Nikolas broke his stride and approached the exit. He cried out as he escaped through the doorway, "I'll return shortly!"

Elsa looked around the partially abandoned office of her former patriarch His papers continued to lay in a disheveled pile near the edge. Neither she nor Anna could manage to bravely grasp onto the reality that he was not to return to his study. The need for preservation of his items was a lost cause.

Nikolas emerged through the doorway with a small smirk gracing his profile. With a book in his hand, he ungracefully landed next to Elsa on the couch. He moved to close the distance between them and placed the album on both of their thighs. The brown leather cover displayed ware and tear giving it a personal feel. Elsa did not know how to continue. Finally, Nikolas opened the cover and began to explain.

"This was my brother and I. His name was Erik." the picture on the first page showed a much younger Nikolas and an older boy possibly around five years younger than himself.

"I was five at the time of this photo. I was nine when the incident occurred. It was due to the fact that My father had decided that thirteen was an appropriate age for a boy to develop the skills of manhood that they embarked on a small mission one afternoon." Nikolas said and turned with a faint smile touching his lips. "I was told and told repeatedly that it was not a place for boys, but me being the way that I am, could not resist the urge to follow them."

Nikolas turned the page to reveal a family portrait. Elsa stifled at gasp at the beautiful nature of the family. Nikolas's mother was almost a foot shorter than his father. Her hair was as dark as obsidian. It reached hip level, near Nikolas's head. He stood with a grin larger than Elsa had ever see him put on. His hair was precariously perched upon his scalp looking almost to fly away like a disoriented bird. His father and brother held each a stern and never faltering composure. Elsa knew they face all too well. It had recently begun to look back at her in the mirror.

"The day they left," Nikolas continued. "I followed in hot pursuit not wishing to miss a moment or to reveal myself. I did not know at that moment, but my mother had discovered my plans and sent two guards to retrieve me. Without this, I would not be here."

Elsa dared herself to look at his expression. His face was held together, but it was evident he was breaking. His eyes began to gloss over and tears brimmed at near tipping point at his eyelids. He blinked allow one tear to fall. Elsa slowly reached her had to wipe the evidence of his current state. He looked over to her with a thankful look in his eyes.

"We headed up the side of the volcano that has plagued the residents' minds for years." Nikolas turned the page to indicate the nightmare which he spoke of. The red peak bore into her brain. Smoke billowed off the top in an intimidating fashion. Elsa wondered why in the world anyone would desire to approach such a beast.

"I am mindful of what you are thinking." Nikolas said as if he were reading her thoughts at that very moment, it had become a strange occurrence. "If you are able to make it near the mouth of the volcano, it is said that you will find the riches left from those who lived prior to us in the kingdom. We were unfortunate to have no such luck on that day. Nikolas slowly moved his arm around Elsa's figure on the couch. He cautiously placed his arm around her waist. To his surprise, she neither recoiled nor flinched at his touch.

"They didn't plan for occurred that day. Though, if they tried to deny that the thought had, they would be liars. Do you realize what happened that day, Queen?" Nikolas tried to avoid eye contact, choosing to analyze each individual stone on the fireplace. Elsa spoke in a hushed tone, "It erupted."

* * *

**Hello again! Thank you so much for reading and everything that you do. This is the first part of this portion, and I may post more later tonight of tomorrow afternoon. Please give me any input you have. I am really glad that people are enjoying it.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"The outburst was small in comparison to what is expected to spring forth from the beast, but it was an eruption nonetheless. The volcano seemed to wait until our arrival. It happened all too fast. My father attempted to shield my brother and guide him to safety. That's when they noticed me. My father gave his life to save ours. He was unsuccessful. I don't remember much of the event. The guards sent on the trail claimed to have solely found me. Either they lied to protect our emotions, or it was that much of a lost cause."

Nikolas's fingers tightened slightly on Elsa's side. She was unsure exactly what course of action to take, but she followed her gut feeling and grasped his hand. His eyes flickered and he proceeded with his story.

"I was in terrible shape. It has burned a fair percentage of the left side of my torso and up along the side of my neck. My mother was informed that it was unlikely for me to make it through the night. She told my later on that the sole reason that I continue to live was a curse. He found a local shaman that laid a curse on my life giving me control of fire. He had to bind my molecules with the very thing that nearly destroyed me in order to save me. It was risky, but somehow it worked."

Nikolas lifted his hand, palm upward, and willed flames to flicker across his finger tips. He shot his hand forward relinquishing the fire to the hearth. A single line of smoke danced through the air from his appendage. Elsa looped her fingers through the ones placed on her side. Nikolas gave her a look of surprise. Elsa broke eye contact now discovering his prior fascination with the stones as a blush crept up onto her unnaturally pale face. It interlocked between the small amount of freckles sprinkled along her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"When I am angered or frightened, I become unable to control it. I begged my mother for years to attempt to formulate some sort of reversal. She claimed my only escape would be the death I cheated. As much as that option seemed appealing at times, I could not leave my mother alone."

A horrified look crossed Elsa's face as she too had experienced similar thoughts throughout her lifetime. She could never bring herself to leave Anna alone to the world, even though that this was how Elsa had to force Anna's existence to be at times.

Nikolas flipped the page of the album. The newest photo was revealed. It displayed a somewhat happy family. The man was jolly with blonde hair reaching his shoulders. The woman she recognized to be Nikolas's mother was standing arm and arm with the fellow. A blonde boy stood underneath his father's arm. A small blonde girl stood next to the boy. Elsa's heart melted at the sight due to the uncanny resemblance of the girl's expression to the one Anna often wore in the early years of her childhood, before the incident. Nikolas lurked off to the side of the family portrait. His face was exact to his father's in the previous portrait. He did not fit into the painting. His face showed that he had been aware of this even at the time.

"That is the current King of my nation. He became betrothed to my Mother four years post the death of my Father. He was and still is a kind man with his heart set on the perfect condition for our kingdom. Though his views are not similar to those of mine, he does try to get it going. His worst view in my mind is his wish for his son to rule instead of me." Elsa's grip tightened on Nikolas's. He peered into her eyes catching a glimpse of concern and worry for the welfare of her friend.

"Unlike what you are most likely expecting, he does not want my death on his hands. He wishes at most to exile me. He wished not for me to corrupt his son, his future heir. The boy, Oliver, is a kind soul. As much as he wants to please his father, he is no monarch. He has difficulty deciding what undergarments to wear." Elsa covered her mouth with her free hand to try to mute the giggle escaping her lips. Elsa was not one to giggle.

She straightened her stature not freeing her hand from Nikolas's, who had drifted lower down her side towards her hip.

"It would not be bad for Oliver to take the throne. I hope that he matures in my absence. Abigale on the other hand, the little girl in the picture, would be a most excellent ruler. She is constantly organizing her toys in a straight line fashion. She takes any tea party offer seriously. She would be ideal if it weren't for her being at the age of nine. I don't want to be a King." Nikolas finally uttered the last line. He breathed out a heavy sigh and let his shoulders droop low. His body folded slightly inward at an angle. It was moments before he finished his thought.

"Well, I take that back, not entirely, but partially. I have no desire to rule that unforgiving kingdom. My absence throughout my youth has left a bitter taste in some citizen's mouths, as I am sure so has yours." Elsa turned her head to face towards the northern window. She has often tried to listen and uncover the thoughts swirling around her identity. She always came back empty handed.

"You are not speaking much, Elsa." Elsa's mind broke back into reality as the room grew silent.

"I do not have much to say on the subject of your upbringing. I would like to know more if you have anything left to offer." Elsa replied back.

She felt Nikolas bring her closer to his side. Her leg was almost to the point of overlapping his own. Though normally she would protest, she found herself unwilling to. As foreign as it was, she found it comforting. He placed his head upon her shoulder embracing her to his body.

After a few minutes of silence, Nikolas spoke in a hush tone as though he did not want to unsettle the position they held, "I cannot do it. I have made you aware of my emotions towards you, and though I know you want me to dismiss them, it has grown impossible to tear them away from myself. You have entirely captivated me. I know you have little to no intentions of initiating a courtship any time soon, I can't help but wonder why not."

Nikolas felt Elsa stiffen in his arms, but she made no steps towards freeing herself from the embrace.

Continuing the whispers, Elsa finally let a sound emit from her mouth, "I don't know why I have shut myself down again. I made promises to my sister that I would remain as open to people as possible. I would be lying if I tried to say that I did not consider what the future could hold for the two of us, but I always let the fear slowly creep back into my thoughts."

Nikolas maneuvered his body without releasing his grip on Elsa to better position himself facing her.

"A thought of us is not a foreign thing? I cannot go without hours or minutes even without contemplating the outcome of you and I. Please consider it. I beg of you to let yourself know what scenarios could occur with you and I. My mind will never drift from you. You are endlessly perfect to me. I question why you would possible consider being my friend let alone a step beyond. Where you are flawless, I am riddled with imperfections. I don't know ho-"

Nikolas was cut off abruptly, not by an input put forth by the Queen, but instead her lips. They crashed into his jolting him into the current moment. He deepened the kiss and grasped Elsa's side with his other hand. Using all of his willpower, he did not let himself singe a single fiber of fabric on Elsa's dress. She moved her hands around his neck locking her fingers into his black coarse hair. He finally broke from her and pulled her onto his lap creating a tight embrace. He sensed Elsa's shoulders quivering slightly. He assumed it was due to crying but was taken aback when he heard laughter escaping from her mouth. He pulled back and grabbed onto her blushing bright red cheeks. He placed his forehead against hers joining in with her laughter. He and Elsa giggled continuously for what seemed as ages.

"I am completely and utterly serious, Elsa. Will you enter a relationship with me? I want nothing more than to be by your side as much as possible, to view you beautiful face for hours on end, to be the reason that you laugh and blush for that matter."

Elsa breathed deeply creating a large sigh. Nikolas bit his lip awaiting rejection.

Elsa finally muttered under her breath, "Are you certain that you would like to do this? I mean, I'm not the most open or stable person for that matter. I don't wish to cause you any harm or distress. But I do reciprocate your feelings. I would find it most agreeable to myself for us to begin a courtship, but…" Elsa began to trail off.

Nikolas had heard all that he could possible need. He initiated the second kiss of the night. Elsa finally answered the question he was so longing to ask. It contained the greatest three letters of the entire alphabet.

* * *

**Hello. Thank you for reading and everything. Please tell me what you think by review or private message. More is to come possibly later tonight or tomorrow. **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

They decided to continue the two weeks in regular fashion with the only difference being the few nights when they went on walks instead of practicing and the showing of affection Elsa came to accept. Neither dignitary was certain how people were expected to act in relationships.

They knew only what they had read in novels and seen from their parents. Nikolas tried desperately to keep his mouth contained when speaking to her. His ability to ruin any opportunity he had at happiness was eating away at his mind. He internally cringed every moment he stumbled upon his words or stumbled physically (one time almost taking the Queen down with him). His nervousness was undeniable. He even contemplated consulted the snowman of Elsa's creation for advice. Instead he turned to fictionally tales and lands and what he found was that it was the smaller gestures that at times made the most impact of someone's opinion. Nikolas wished that the surprise Elsa had on her face when he arrived one fateful night with flowers would be forever etched in his mind.

The nightmares that had once continually haunted Elsa's never sleeping mind began to subside. She was trying to balance her time between being Queen, being sister, and being a significant other, but in the end she knew that it would be worth it all.

"When will you return to Cariden?" Elsa asked. It had been decided that he would return to his home to warn them of his plans. He would be temporarily moving into a house not too far from the castle. He was still unsure of what he was going to say to them. Before he could announce this, he heard a noise and moved to the back of the room and crouched as Anna approached.

"Elsa! Oh, Elsa!" Anna said in a sing-song voice as she strode into Elsa's office. Fortunately for Elsa, she glanced over the fact that Nikolas sat in the back corner of the room. He slowly crossed the room and exited while Anna stood in front of a terrified Elsa.

"Hello, Anna. As you can see, I am trying to get some work down right now." Elsa tried not to let the near encounter throw her off. She had already frozen three containers of ink listening to Nik ramble about his opposing views in the latest novel she had suggested.

"You promised a certain someone, one game of a certain something." Anna replied rising on the balls of her feet and lowering down to her heels trying to be patient with her sister.

Elsa sighed, "You never specified when, Anna." She had caused her sister to rethink their conversation.

"You never said that I couldn't choose," The loophole had been spotted.

"Fine, Anna. How about on one hour in the west corridor?" Elsa suggested. She was not looking forward to her sister's response.

"But, Elsa, I want to do it now. Urgh. Fine. Remember to wear your socks this time. Human bowling is not the same without them." Anna finally agreed.

Human bowling began in Anna's early years. She had eight rungs that had broken free from the railing on the stair banister. The objective was for the person to fling their body into the rungs in a penguin-slide fashion down the hallway in an attempt to take down every single one. Kristoff was the master due to his larger body weight, but he was unavailable that day.

"Now that we have agreed on that, you may leave." Elsa said returning to her work, but Anna remained in the middle of the room.

Elsa looked up notice the lack of hurry in the girl's step. She raised her eyebrow at the young girl's returning smirk. "What are you doing?" Elsa asked in an attempt to now longer prolong Nikolas's waiting.

"I think I will just stay here until the hour is up." Anna suggested looking at everything in the room but her elder sister. She twirled slightly, letting the fringe of her dress flow in the air.

Elsa left her seat and grabbed Anna's arms, trying to pull her out of the room. Anna's interest in mountain men had resulted in an increase of muscle mass, effectively causing her to slightly outweigh her sister and causing her to be resistant to her strength. Elsa knew she could not use her powers to 'persuade' her sister out of the room, so she continued pushing.

Anna turned her back and locked arms with her sister, knocking them to the floor. Anna giggled assuming her sister had accepted her defeat, but she was wrong. Elsa let go of Anna and crawled to her side. She knew what had to be done.

"Oh, I wonder what I am to do." Elsa sarcastically claimed letting a smirk come to her face. Her fingers moved in a flash to Anna's stomach.

"What are you go-" Anna was cut off as a giggle erupted from her mouth. Elsa resorted to the lowest and foulest method of ridding herself of Anna, tickling her.

"Stop! Stop it! I'll leave!" Anna screamed between giggles. Elsa released the girl's middle and lay on her back in the middle of the office. Anna did not bother to resume a standing position, and instead crawled out of the room.

"See you in fifty-five minutes!" Anna yelled as she crawled all the way to her bedroom as Elsa watched her upside down.

Elsa did not move until Nikolas returned. He stops in his tracks laughing softly. He bent down and spoke, "Do you need help up, my Queen?" and extended his hand.

She smiled as he pulled her up and wrapped her in a hug. He placed a quick kiss on her cheek, and resumed reading his novel. The smile on Elsa's face took hours to dissipate even when she lost against her sister in their childish endeavors. Anna knew not to question when her sister seemingly recovered from her bout of self-loathing behavior, but the suspense was killing her. She was desperate to know of the creature responsible for the sudden change in mood. She knew then that she had to inquire to be providing with such secret information. She did so in the only way she knew how: bluntly.

* * *

**Hello again! Thank you so much for reading and everything. I would like to thank Shadow Huntress for consistently reading and reviewing. I would have messaged you privately, but I cannot. Thank you as well for liking Nikolas. I was slightly worried as to how his character would be perceived, but so far it has been great. I appreciate it.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Elsa awoke and arrived in the dining hall anticipating the normal transactions of the day to occur. Her hope swere all in vain the moment Anna opened her mouth.

"When can I meet him?" Anna asked as innocently as she could possibly seem to Elsa. Her sister's eyes grazed over her face searching for an ulterior motive, but she was aware deep down that Anna was simply overwhelmed by a great amount of curiosity.

"When can you meet who?" Elsa made a last ditch effort to avoid a conversation she would rather not have at the beginning of a day. She knew Anna may burst at the seams if she waited any longer to found out his identity.

"Only the man who has been staying in our guest quarters for nearly a month and taking almost all of your time. I know that it is serious stuff, BUT I AM DYING." Anna finally admitted. Anna leaned back in her chair and threw her hands into the air. Elsa secretly enjoyed the small bouts of over dramatic tendencies that came from her sister, but it was a different case all together when the odd behavior resulted in the exposure of something best kept hidden, or at least she thought.

She attempted to not let jealously slip into her tone, but it was ever present. Any time that Anna arrived at the Queen's office in the midst of the day, and her knocks went unheard (or ignored), she secretly feared that her sister's reclusive nature was beginning to take over once more. Though she knew if she were to open the door, she would be graciously accepted into her sister's company, or she at least thought she knew.

The nightmares returned from Anna's childhood where the castle was consumed in flames and the only solace was Elsa's room, but every knock went unanswered and Anna eventually gave into to the inferno. She realized now that this dreams was on the verge of her lost memories of Elsa's powers. Her icey solitude would quench the flames. Anna shivered as though a being had arrived and tickled up her back and reached her head.

"Do you really meet him? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to…" Elsa attempted to extinguish the thoughts rising in her sister's brain by making the interaction seems less than a desirable option for how to spend your day, but it was futile. Anna saw straight through the act.

"Of course I want to. What have I been saying all these weeks?" Anna could not help but let the words burst from her mouth.

"Fine. I guess I do owe it to you due to my recent absence in your life." Elsa confronted the elephant in the room dead on. It left Anna void of speech. She was unsure how to address the subject that had slowly eaten away at her.

Anna's head dropped to the table placed before her. "I didn't really intend for that to be brought up. I realize that you have been swamped with the duties tied with being the head of a monarchy. It isn't easy and I should never assume that you are purposely hurting me. You still spend the Saturdays with me."

Elsa abandoned her place at the head of the table and fell to her knees in front of Anna. She clung unto her hands placed on her lap. Her blue eyes bore into Anna's.

"Am I hurting you?" Elsa questioned letting concern and regret drip into her voice.

"It is not that you are hurting me, it's just, I miss you. I was hoping that would be able to spend more time together lately. I just really miss you." Anna replied in a hoarse voice.

The tears that had been threatening to fall fell unto her cheeks. Elsa could not stand what she was seeing. She had let the pursuit of assisting another person take precedence over ensure that her sister felt her companionship. She raised her hand and swept away all the tears residing on Anna's face. She lifted Anna's chin from its tucked position to force her to make eye contact. At that point in the conversation, both of the girls where shedding tears.

"I have been selfish. I shouldn't let my affairs over rule the time we should spend together. It is going to change. I am not going to let myself fall back into the curve of ignoring you. It is all my fault. I don't want you to feel like I no longer crave your attention and having you by my side."

It was Elsa's turn to avert her gaze towards something other than the person she was admitting to. She bit her lips and bounced on her toes attempting to fight back the emotions that were likely to burst from her chest. She felt Anna finally acknowledge the grip on her hands. Elsa knew that she should admit to Anna that it was not all business. Elsa's friendship and now blossoming relationship with Nik was forcing her to fall back on her duties as Anna's older sister. Elsa decided.

"Tomorrow night at dinner."

"What are you talking about?"

"He will join us at dinner tonight. You can meet him tonight, if you would like." Elsa averted her eyes knowing that Anna would not being to maintain a calm composure at her words.

"The sooner we meet, the sooner you get out of this funk that you have been in. I have missed you." Anna effectively closed Elsa's thoughts on debating whether or not she should truly bring him to dinner. To know that it would please her sister's mind and possibly put her at ease, settled Elsa's stomach.

"Then it shall be."

* * *

Elsa waited a day to give Nikolas the news. Every time they talked, she let the conversation slip away. It was the next day that Elsa found Nikolas in the library, a place she knew was rather safe from Anna.

She entered the room and took her place next to the reading man. He didn't break his focus from the book until she placed her head on his shoulder.

Nikolas turned from his book and placed a kiss on Elsa's forehead, "Well hello there, my Queen."

Elsa took the opportunity to spring the news on him, "So, guess what you will be doing tonight?" She tried to keep the panic from showing. Ice formed at the base of the hearth.

"What would that be?" Nikolas asked not turning his head from the book. "You are having dinner with me. And Anna." The fire in the hearth flared out melting the ice forming. Nikolas swallowed trying to force the lump in his throat back down.

"Tonight?" He croaked. He was not prepared to meet another person. It took a month to build up the courage to finally come to Arendelle. He did not like human interaction, especially when it came to someone whose impression could mean the end of the only relationship he had ever had, let alone their friendship.

Elsa turned her body to face Nikolas. She placed her hand on his right cheek and looked into his eyes.

"It will be okay. Everything will be okay." She leaned forward until their lips met. He placed his hand on the small of her back. She laced her fingers into his hair. Over the course of his stay there, it had grown. It was shaggy and thick, but Elsa enjoyed it. The kinks in his hair caused it to curl into certain areas leaving him with an utter mess in the mornings. She pulled away from the man and placed her hands onto her lap.

"Now let's discuss what you should and shouldn't mention." Elsa insisted.

"First things first, I need to get a haircut." Nikolas chuckled as Elsa's fingers became intertwined in his locks.

"What a shame." Elsa said unaware of the fact that she had left the door slightly ajar and open to peeking toms.

* * *

**Hello again. Thank you very much for reading. The time for the meeting is upon them...**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Elsa twirled the end of her braid between her fingers. Time was slowly creeping towards Anna's impression of Nikolas to be seen. He had sat down with Elsa three hours prior to practice what he would say to avoid mentioning his courtship with Elsa. She finally calmed his nerves by placing a kiss onto his lips. It worked on Nikolas, but Elsa was still frazzled as to how the night would go.

If Anna found out, would she be furious with Elsa for spending a portion of her times not on a partnership but on him? Would she reject him due to his gifts? Would his gifts bring to light the monstrosity that Elsa is? Elsa racked her brain for any and all comfort hidden within it. She knew Anna would never think badly of Elsa or her decisions. She had still loved her deeply through her childhood when any reciprocation of feeling was lost between the vast void of her isolation. Her regret would always find a way to bring itself to the front of her mind.

"Elsa. Elsa?" So caught up in her own thoughts, Elsa was unaware of the other person present in her room.

Nikolas stood behind her, cautious not to make too much noise. When she finally did turn, she noticed the nervous wreck the poor man was. His hair was freshly cut exposing more of his handsome features. His jaw line looked stronger and his nose sharper. He was wearing no clothing on his torso as he shuffled along across the room to her.

He had two pieces of fabric in his trembling hands. He made extra certain that he would not turn the clothing to ashes. It took all of his willpower to focus on anything but the nervousness that was lurking in the shadows of his mind. Thanks to the training he had received from Elsa (and the affection), he was better in control when it came to the smaller outbursts.

Elsa had only seen him shirtless once before, but it was not in the light. She could now see the pinkish scar tissue that was the left side of his torso and neck. She approached the man. Her pale fingers softly traced the outline of his injury. Her cold fingers were soothing to the touch. He had never realized how hot the skin on his side was before.

Realizing her speechless fascination with the imperfection that would forever haunt him, he turned slightly to divert her attention to the predicament at hand, what color coat.

What she did surprised both of them; she threw both of her arms around his middle and clung unto him. He dropped his arms realizing that as collected as she tried to seem, she was incredible worried, more than she would possibly ever let on. He clutched her as if it were possible to bring her closer. When she finally released him, he could feel a slight bit of moisture residing on the contours of his stomach. She brushed away the remaining tears hoping that they had gone unnoticed.

"Red. You should wear red." Elsa said. It was his signature color.

A blush emerged on her face as she came to the realization that he was half naked in her bedroom with the door unlocked. Anyone could appear at that moment. She hastily turned him around and forced him out of the door. With a chuckle leaving his lips, the panic inside her dispersed.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." Nikolas said as he swung around last moment placing a quick kiss onto her forehead. Maybe things would go okay. They had to go okay.

* * *

**Hello! I am very appreciative of every review and everyone who reads this. I was contemplating whether or not I should post one giant chapter or split it apart. I will post the next part shortly after. Thanks again.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Anna was already anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Prince and her sister. After five minutes of agonizing silence, Elsa entered the dining hall and took her place at the head of the table.

"How are you today, Anna?" Elsa asked of the bubbling girl. She tried to place her smile that didn't make her look as though she were postponing the inevitable.

"Elsaa?" Anna pleaded as she slouched in her chair. She was dying to meet him.

"Did you do anything interesting today?" Elsa placed her interlocked fingers on the table. Anna couldn't tear her eyes off the gloves on her sister's hands. Anna got the message. Elsa was undeniably nervous. She wouldn't even look her directly in the eyes. Anna despised the small blue gloves, but she knew better than to ask her sister to remove them. They were a source of comfort to her, and even though they enraged her so, she had to ignore their existence and move on.

"Are you okay, Elsa?" Anna inquired, though she was slowly falling apart inside waiting for the Prince.

"I am perfectly fine, Anna, why do you ask?" Elsa tried to keep her voice from quivering. This was going worse than she thought, and he hasn't even entered the room.

"Where is he, Elsaaaaaaaa?" Anna was obviously bored of her sister's stalling. To be honest, Elsa was unsure. He was just changing his shirt. Red blush attempted to crawl unto Elsa's cheeks when she remembered the shirtless, distraught man standing in her embrace.

"He will be here soon enough, Anna. Have patience." Elsa's sarcastic nature was threatening to slip through the cracks thinking about a patient Anna. It was preposterous.

As if on que, Nikolas emerged through the doors. He was wearing the red coat Elsa had chosen. It was obvious that he had tried to style his hair, but the lacking amount left him unable to decide what to do. He was unfamiliar with the small amount on his head. He took the place at the table across from Anna, but next to Elsa. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair and attempted to not show his shock towards how quickly that they met cold air again. His new haircut was his distraction from the numerous ways that he could ruin the entire evening.

"Anna, this is Prince Nikolas of Cariden. Prince Nikolas, this is Princess Anna, my little sister." Elsa said. She smiled softly when she said Anna's name.

"Hello! It is nice to finally meet you!" Anna practically yelled for everyone in the castle to hear. Realizing the volume with which she spoke, she promptly stuck her hand out to him, across the table. He carefully raised his gloved hand above the table and shook Anna's. Anna was left as though she was left out of the 'wear gloves' memo not fully understanding the similarities at the time.

"Please tell me everything about yourself." Anna demanded. Her eyes were hungry with the opportunity to uncover the secrets behind the mystery guest.

Nik laughed softy noticing the differences between the two royal sisters. Anna's hair was parted into two signature braids, unlike Elsa's regal up-do. The posture with which they held themselves contrasted drastically. Elsa fully fell into the role as Queen and made it obvious in the way she held herself. Anna tended to resort back to a position she often held in her childhood. He tried to sit up in his chair. It had become a habit for him to slowly try to tuck himself into his chest similar to a tortoise enveloping his head into his shell.

"I am the heir to the throne of Cariden. I have two living siblings, a third who is unfortunately no longer with us. There isn't much more interesting about me." As he said his last sentence, Nik smirked at the scoffing Elsa. There wasn't a truth to it.

Anna was not completely oblivious to the few glances between the two. She assumed, and secretly hoped, that they were closer than Elsa let on, but she was skeptically if the possibilities. It was unlike Elsa to become close to anyone, let alone a man he had just arrived in her life.

Anna tried throughout the entirety of the first dish of the evening to tell Nikolas to every joke in her repertoire, she was secretly withering away from not being around Elsa, the only person secluded enough to not know of the jokes that circulated so often. After he jokes ran dry, she resorted to questioning the individual, much to Elsa's chagrin. Elsa had cringed many times when the conversation threatened to run towards the more 'magical' aspects of his life, but Nikolas always managed to discretely push Anna back towards another more Elsa friendly subject.

After the main course of the meal had reached the table, Anna resumed her interrogation.

"What do you and Elsa discuss when you work on the trades, is it just business stuff?" Anna could not help it. She was dying to know why this man was taking all of Elsa's attention.

"No. We discuss other things from time to time." Nik said in between bites.

"Did the Queen manage to tell you about her accident?" Anna was curious to know his opinion on Elsa's powers.

Nik looked up slightly, "Which one?" Elsa knew that this conversation had the possibility of taking a turn for the worse. It was evident now that the turmoil had begun.

"What do you mean which one? The outburst of her powers?" Anna was honestly confused at this point.

"The first or the second time, your Majesty?" Nikolas inquired before taking another bite of his meal. Elsa knew that it had gone too far. She had to divert the attention.

Elsa spoke, "What did you do today, Anna?" Elsa was hanging on to her last attempt to prevent the topic from arising.

"Hold on, Elsa. The Prince is speaking. What was the first time?" Anna was not letting her anger show. What was Elsa hiding from her? She gripped the table, hands slightly shaking. Ice crept up the dining surface towards them.

Nik cleared his throat finally realizing his mistake. His fingers trembled slowly as raised his arm. He knew that he had a habit of running his hand over his scalp when nervous, but you only singe your hair so many times before the lesson is learned. He reached to take a sip of water to properly moisten his dry tongue reacting from his frayed nerves. The liquid that was in the cup in his hand began to boil. He quickly put it under the table. Smoke began to drift off his fingers through his gloves. He clenched them tight and hid them under his arms. "The isolation, right?" Anna's head quickly turned to Elsa. She looked at her in disgust.

"You tell a stranger why you shut me out, but you won't tell me!? I thought we were back to normal, Elsa? What the hell?" Anna yelled. She stormed out of the room, slamming the doors to the dining hall. Elsa ignored the fact that profanity was unbecoming of a lady, let alone a Princess, because she was entirely caught up in the fact that her honesty with Nikolas resulted in her sister to be repulsed by Elsa.

Nikolas nearly vomited. "Elsa, I am so sorry. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to talk about that. Oh God, I ruined everything." Nikolas dropped his head into his hands. Elsa followed suit unsure of how to process what had just happened.

Unknown to them, Anna had paused in the doorway. Elsa was lying about how close they were. Anna failed to hear the guest place the Queen before Elsa's name, the way you properly address royalty. Only Anna was allowed to do that. Or so she thought.

* * *

**Hello. As promised, here it is. It is done. They have met, but much more is to come. Thanks so much for everything. Seriously.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Elsa left the table shortly after Anna's outburst. She knew that Nikolas had not known what to do in that situation, but she needed someone to blame.

"If you need me, which you won't, I'll be in my office, alone." Elsa let the words fly out of her mouth putting emphasis on alone. Nikolas tried to follow, but Elsa turned on her heel and froze the door to the dining hall shut.

She shouldn't have been so upset. It was her fault. She was the one who decided to tell Nikolas her secret, and not Anna. She was frustrated for letting herself fall into the pattern of leaving Anna out of her affairs.

Elsa threw her frustrations into the piles of work on her desk. Any time her mind drifted to the earlier events, her ink would freeze. She threw her hands in the air in distress letting a breeze fly through the room. A stack of documents fell to the floor in front of her desk.

She placed her head on her forearms and cried. She cried about how foolish she had been. She cried about how Anna would be furious when she found out about the secret relationship. She cried that she had upset Nikolas. She cried because she had absolutely no clue where to go from there.

She cleared her face and tried to re position her focus to the trade offers. It was all in vain. Her mind was in a knot that wasn't likely to come undone any time soon. She sat and stared out the window. She broke her gaze to check the time in the grandfather clock set in the corner of her office. It was slowly approaching midnight. She glanced to the darkest corner of the room. Her candle never cast light unto it in the dead of night. The thought that anything could be lurking there unsettled her. She lifted herself from her chair and walked towards the door. She almost got to the handle.

Elsa was unaware that Anna was outside of the door. She raised and lowered her fist multiple times before she decided that the middle of the night was not appropriate time to confront her sister. They both needed sleep to reflect on each side of the argument. Anna took a deep breath and turned. As she left the corridor, she heard a large thud. She chose to brush it off assuming Olaf was up to no good. She was wrong.

* * *

**Hello. I know this is extremely short, but I will post more in a few hours (hopefully). Thank you so much for the reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"It will be two and half weeks at most, then I will return to you." Nikolas was sitting at the end of her bed. He had been the one to find her with her bangs dyed bright red, caked with the blood flowing from her head. The bandage was a constant reminder that he should have ignored her pleas for solitude and should have comforted her. The dinner had gone near perfect until the end. He was unaware that Elsa had yet to tell Anna of the incident, or that it would strike chord in the young girl. He cursed himself repeatedly for not keeping his mouth shut. He finally wrangled his feelings together and mindlessly walked to Elsa's office. He knocked expecting the door to be lock.

"Elsa, I'm sorry. Please let me speak to you." Nikolas quietly pleaded with her through the door. He turned cursing himself and running his fingers through his hair. He was perfect at ruining any chance he had at happiness. He decided that he could no longer hold it in. He reached for the door knob. Surprisingly, it turned in his hand allowing him to enter. He did not find what he expected. He thought his eyes would find an angered Queen searching through an endless pile of requests, but instead he found a crumpled Elsa in the middle of the office.

"Elsa!" He yelled as he scooped the broken woman into his arms. He grabbed the nearest piece of cloth, his handkerchief, and pushed it against her head to clot the blood pouring from her wound. Not too much of it had dried to her face which indicated she did not sustain the injury much prior to his arrival.

Elsa was not a large person, and was not difficult to carry. The only difficulty was the tears threatening his view while going down the stair case.

"Kai! Gerda! Anna!" Nikolas yelled as he entered the foyer. Thankfully Kai was nearby and knew what course of action to take.

"Oh dear, oh dear! What happened? Kai inquired as they hurried towards the door. He had his hands gripping his trousers, pulling them up to reduce the tripping hazard as he waddled as fast as he possibly could.

"I don't know!" Nikolas cried out. The tears were now fully streaming down his face.

Nikolas carried Elsa in his arms as they left the front door. The blood was making his hand sticky as he clung desperately to the wounded girl. It did not take long for the trio to arrive at the doctor's house just outside the castle walls.

He placed her on the couch in his living room. The room was a sickening shade of yellow. The furniture was quaint and looked as though it was quickly shoved into the room without a second thought of décor.

Nikolas crouched to her side crying over her peaceful expression. Thankfully, the blood began to stop flowing. He was forced to release her as the doctor went to work. He analyzed the wound that was deeper than they had originally expected. After cleaning the injury, the area surrounding turned to a purplish bruise, and her face grew paler over the course of events, if that was even possible; Nikolas thought not.

It took at least ten stitches. A large bandage was applied to her forehead. He prescribed to her multiple pain medications and demanded that the men made sure she iced her head. The last remark slightly angered Nikolas. The doctor offered to allow them to use the wagon to carry her back to the kingdom, but Nikolas insisted on carrying her. He didn't want her to leave his embrace.

"How did you find her?" The very nosy Kai questioned. Nikolas knew better than to reveal too much.

"I heard her fall, and there she was. What to know anything else, possibly my favorite color, anything irrelevant?" Nikolas could not help himself from getting upset. He took multiple deep breaths and averted his eyes from the tubby man. He had to conceal himself. He couldn't risk hurting Elsa worse than she already was.

"I apologize, your Majesty." Kai said nervously as he stumbled along the stone path. Ever since he had uncovered their secret relationship, he was determined to keep Elsa's emotions safe. After witnessing the man carry her, without complaints, and crying at her bedside, he knew his worries could diminish.

* * *

It was six hours before Elsa finally awoke. Her head felt as though an anvil had fallen onto it. She looked out the window to find sunlight peeking through the curtains. Her eyes roamed the room and landed on the chair placed in the corner. In it sat a dark figure hunched with his head in his hands. Elsa tried to speak, but the words could not leave her mouth. It was a solid minute before she could muster enough strength to muster a word.

"Hello." She said. Her voice came out in a cracked whisper, but it was enough for Nikolas to hear. He quickly rose and strode across the room to her side. He grasped her hand in his own. The emotions from hearing her voice caused his body to raise a few degrees, but her hands cooled his.

Nikolas looked awful. His hair was even more untamable. The trim had no effect on the unruliness of his locks. A few hairs tuck to his forehead from sweat, and the ends slightly singed from flames. He had yet to leave her side since they returned. He still wore the beige undershirt with a dark red stain on his side. He had dark bags under his eyelids. His bronze eyes never left her face. He fought with all his might to not glance up at the wound, but he lost the battle. There was still blood caught in her bangs. He crossed the room to grab a wet rag. He slowly dipped it in the water basin and wrung the piece of cloth. He returned to her side and softly dabbed at the hair on her left side.

"I'm sorry for my mouth. I'm so sorry for leaving your side. If I had come to apologize sooner, this might have not happened. What happened exactly, Elsa?" Nikolas grabbed both of her hands and helped her rise to an upright position. She winced as the blood pounded through her veins. Her sight went fuzzy and she tightened her grip on him to further stabilize herself. When her eyes reopened, she found Nikolas sitting by her side. His face was close to her's. She could see the concern flash through his eyes. She was lost looking into his eyes when she remembered he had asked her a question.

"I was finishing paper work. I guess I dropped a piece on the floor. When I got up to leave, I think I slipped on it and hit my head on the desk. I honestly don't remember much." After the words left her mouth, she realized she had glazed over his apologize. After letting him process her own uncharacteristically clumsy behavior, she spoke once more.

"It wasn't your fault. I should have warned you that I didn't tell Anna. I didn't expect her to ask. And as for my injury, you were respecting my orders for solitude, though I am glad you didn't hold to it." Elsa tried to reassure him with a smile. He got up from the bed releasing his hold on her. He paced at the foot of her bed and approached the door. She was certain that he was angered and he would leave. He quickly turned the lock on the door to her bedroom. He came back to her side.

"If I had kept my mouth shut and not said a word, you wouldn't have gotten upset. You wouldn't have stormed off. You wouldn't be hurt." His eyes glimmered and reflected the light pouring into the room, and tears came close to flowing.

"There is nothing we can do now, is there? What is done, is done. The past is in the past." Elsa tried not to let her mind wander to the thoughts of her abandonment of Anna. There was nothing she could do except accepting that her decisions were irreversible

Nikolas gently grabbed both of her cheeks and placed a kiss on her lips bringing her out of her dark thoughts. He drew back analyzing her injury. She cringed as he ran his finger around the outline of her gauze. He kissed the clear side of her forehead and lifted himself off the bed.

"Should I postpone my trip?" Nikolas drug his fingers through his tangle ridden hair. Elsa was worried his pacing may leave marks along her floor as it had become a continual habit.

"You have gone to the trouble to set up your return. You mustn't leave your parents expecting a son that has yet to show. They think that you have decided to never return or worse that you are in trouble. You should keep you plan. Leave on time and return on time." Elsa secretly wanted him to stay by her side constantly, but he needed to sort things out with his homeland. It was for the better.

He returned to his seat on her bed and took her face softly in his hands. He then leaned back moving his position to the foot of her bed.

"It will be two and a half weeks at most, then I will return to you." Nikolas stated. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I must inform Anna of your condition. I knew you wouldn't want us to disturb her sleep. That and Kai is frightened by a tired Anna." Nikolas said confidently and exited Elsa's quarters leaving her to her doubts. Elsa leaned back onto the headboard and groaned. She was tired of the conflicts arising between the sisters. She feared the day that it would grow.

* * *

**Hello again! As promised, here is more. Thank you so much for everything. If there is anything you would like to say to me, feel free to review or private message me. I appreciate it.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Anna was surprised to see the unfamiliar monarch standing over her. Nikolas stood with the light of the morning catching on his brooding face. His hands were placed behind his back so Anna might not catch a glimpse at the flames licking at his palms.

"What could you possible want right now?" She grumbled as she rolled over to hide her face under the covers. Her cheeks still slightly stained with the lines of tear that graced her face.

"You need to go to your sister. It is rather important." Nikolas said in a stern tone he heard Elsa use once on her sister. The lack of sleep was affected his ability to be kind.

"What could she want from me right now? Can it not wait a little while longer?" Anna let the anger slide into her tone. Who was this man to demand her attention?

"Queen Elsa sustained an injury last night while trying to leave her office. It would be best if you went to her." Nikolas huffed.

Anna finally rose from her bed and took a good look at the man. His weary face held only seriousness. His shirt held what she realized was her sister's blood. Anna dismissed the man from her room and walked to her mirror. She cleared her face with water and attempted to straighten her hair to no avail. It was not worth the effort.

Anna silently walked towards her sister's room. If she was indeed injured, she should not make any unnecessary noises. She placed her hand gently on the door and it creaked open. Elsa was lying on her side with her back to the door. Fighting nausea and dizziness she successfully placed herself in an upright position with her back propped against the headboard. That is when Anna saw the gauze on her sister's face.

As angered as Anna was with her, it was impossible for her to not rush by her side to comfort her. Elsa put a hand to her head and fought with the blurriness that was threatening to take over her vision. When the vertigo subsided, she faced her sister.

"What did you do to yourself?" Anna asked. Even though Nikolas attempted to tell her the events, she wanted to hear them out of her sister's own mouth.

"I, uh, tripped over myself and hit the edge of my desk."Elsa cleared her throat. The Queen was stunned by the fact that he sister was speaking to her. The awkward silence ensued. She knew that Anna would let this slight occurrence change her course of actions from the conversation that needed to be had.

"I am having trouble understanding." Anna finally spoke up. She was prepared to confront what she currently wanted to know most. She looked up at Elsa. The bandage on her forehead covered her left eyebrow ever so slightly. If Anna weren't so frazzled, she might have insisted on referring to her as the infamous pirate, Captain Snowbeard, but she didn't have it in her.

"What do you want to understand?" Elsa knew what Anna's answer would be. The dread of this moment weighed heavily on her shoulders. Nikolas and Kristoff were both gone. They were alone.

"How would you tell a stranger a secret you have been hiding from me for thirteen years!? I thought we were close…" Fresh tears fell down Anna's face. Elsa couldn't handle it. The crippled pile of skin and bones that was her sister continued to burn in her mind. Life without Anna would not be worth living.

"It wasn't like that Anna! What if you don't like what you hear? What if it makes you hate me?" Elsa yelled. It became apparent she was not yelling at Anna, but at herself. Elsa's curled her chin into her chest. After years of being a victim to an uncontrollable power residing in her body, she would do anything to resume as invulnerable as possible. Tears show vulnerability.

Anna looked to her sister in dismay. What could ever cause her to hate her sister? Regret coursed through her body. Of course she wanted to know what had caused the final breaking point throwing Elsa into isolation, but not if the process put her sister in pain.

The only sound in the room was Elsa's quiet sobs. It was inevitable. The secret she tried so hard to push down, refusing to let see the light of day, was coming forward with full force. Anna was tempted to take her sister's hand into her own, but feared that Elsa may recoil and demand that she left.

"I could never hate you. No matter how much you try to push me out, I love you. That will never change. You could never hurt me." Anna said. The fact that Elsa could even suggest that Anna could ever hated her showed how torn the Queen was.

It never came to light the fact that even though Anna suffered from the separation, Elsa suffered equally if not more. She missed her sister every moment of every day. She was alone dealing with an uncontrollable force threatening to take away everything she could possibly love; it could also take her own life. Humans have the ability to be ruthless creatures that would jump at an opportunity to take down anything other than the norm. They both lost the companionship of each other, but Elsa lost any thread of hope that she could lead a normal life.

"The fact we must face Anna is that, I have hurt you, on multiple occasions." Elsa refused to make eye contact. Tears brimmed at her eyelids. Her bright blue irises shined from the moisture collecting on the surface. Anna looked at her sister's face in confusion. Elsa had frozen her heart, yes, but what else had occurred.

"What happened to you, Elsa? You were happy. We were happy, Elsa." Her voice had gone hoarse and fallen to a whisper.

"Are you sure you want to know what happened? I have let it haunt me every day of my existence." Elsa shuddered remembering the nightmares that scarred her mind as she slept throughout her childhood. They became so overwhelming at times, that Elsa refused to sleep until she passed out conscious into a dreamless slumber. They tried medication, meditation, and hypnosis, but nothing would free her thoughts from the torture. Nothing, except the reunion of the sisters.

"I am certain." Anna knew deep down that she was the reason her sister left her side. A piece of Anna's heart shattered when her thoughts were confirmed. Elsa took a deep breath before she began her tale. She could not look in Anna's direction as she recounted her mistake.

"You woke me in the night, as you usually did. You insisted that we build a snowman. You knew it was the only activity I would partake in, in the middle of the night. My powers where not hidden at the time. You were aware of what I could do, partially. Neither of us knew the extent of my curse." Elsa tried to keep her voice steady, but her emotions were failing her. Ice slowly began to creep around the beams in the ceiling of her room. Anna noticed but chose not to cause her sister to break her story for fear she would be reluctant to continue.

"It became too much. You were leaping from snow pile to snow pile slowly getting higher and higher. You were going too fast. I couldn't keep up. I slipped on a patch of the ice forming at my feet. I gave a last attempt to create a snow pile for you to land in, but as I fell, the magic struck your head." Elsa was crying at this point. It was out.

"Our parents found us. They took us to the trolls. Their leader was able to heal you, but we agreed on the fact that I could no longer put you in danger. Having a door between us would be easy than having six feet of dirt between us." The sobs raked through Elsa's body. She gave Anna the evidence to show what a monstrosity she truly was.

"I will understand if you no longer want to be around me." Elsa cleared her eyes and left the room. She had temporarily forgotten her injury and fell to her knees as she entered the corridor. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears, and her vision went black.

Anna couldn't believe her ears. Her sister had given up any hope of maintaining any form of a normal life solely to protect her. She could only watch Elsa, mouth gaping, and she exited the room. The only sound was the sickening thud when Elsa collapsed.

* * *

**Hello. Not necessarily my favorite of passages, but the encounter had to happen. I will try soon to add a chapter where Anna isn't so grumpy, but her emotions cater the situation at hand. Thank you so much for everything. 30 reviews? That is extremely kind. I hope you have enjoyed my story. It shall continue tomorrow?**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Anna knew better than to ignore the second time she had heard the sound of her sister's body hitting the ground.

Anna lept from the bed to follow the noise. She found Elsa lying on the floor with her bandage blood red.

"Kai! Gerda! Come quick! It's Elsa!" Anna screamed down the hallway. She heard a familiar, "Oh no, ohnoohnoohno!" that indicated that Gerda was on her way. When she arrived, they each grabbed under Elsa's arms and carried her to the bedroom.

"Kai!" Gerda screamed into the foyer, "Get the doctor, damnit! Get him now!"

Luckily for Elsa, the doctor expected Elsa to not remain in her bed. She had the spirit of a great ruler, inability to stand by. The doctor was staying in the guest room in the West wing.

Anna was left alone holding her sister upright position. She was unconscious causing her head to roll back. Anna had never seen her sister in the state. It tore Anna's heart apart. Their prior conversation came to Anna's thoughts. She knew now why Elsa could never be near Anna. If Anna felt this way now seeing her sister so vulnerable, she would imagine how she felt that night nearly fourteen years ago.

She held tightly onto Elsa's shoulders trying to keep the tears from falling. It was impossible. She cried as the red continued to consume the gauze on her forehead.

The doctor ran into the room nearly slipping on the rug in his fuss. He rushed to her side. He demanded that Anna move her to a position on her back. He added more gauze to the bandage on her forehead. He had to stop the bleeding before he checked if she tore her stitches. After two more layers of cloth, the blood stopped. After injecting a numbing medication to her forehead, he began to peel back the bandage.

It was worse than Anna was aware of. The blood had caked around the slice, so the doctor used salves and herbs to clean the wound. It was puckered on the edges and surrounded by a harsh purplish bruise. The culprit was three torn stitches. He used a metal utensil to remove the stitches from the skin.

He handed Anna a needle and a string-like material and asked her the thread the needle. Her hands were shaking. It took effort and a few failed attempts before managing to successfully getting the needle set. She could not stand to watch the doctor at work and left to the bathroom.

Anna tossed cold water into her face and peered at her appearance in the mirror. She cursed herself for causing Elsa distress. If she had just left the subject alone, her sister wouldn't have tried to leave the room.

"It's not your fault, Anna. It's not your fault, Anna. It is your fault, Anna." Anna said into the mirror. It was her fault. She had no one to blame but herself. She wiped her face clean off moisture and returned to her elder sister's side.

The doctor had left the room leaving behind a note with two pills for Elsa to take once she did wake.

Anna slipped beneath the covers next to her sister. She was unsure if she was out from the fall or the medication. Either way, she was not going to leave her side. She placed her arms around Elsa's waist and buried her face deep into her hair. She took a deep breath letting the smell of her sister's skin fill her nostrils. It was daylight again before she felt a shift in her arms.

Elsa felt arms around her middle as she woke from her second bout of unconsciousness. She placed her fingers around the wrist. They were a smaller size like Elsa's if not smaller. It was Anna in her bed. Anna had forgiven her enough to voluntarily stay by her side.

She rolled slightly to face her sister, who was thankfully on her good side. She moved her arms to further embrace her sister's sleeping form. Anna began to stir. Her eyelashes fluttered before her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. She kissed Elsa's nose quickly before speaking.

"Good morning, Queen Klutz. Wish to scare me further or are you content with the amount you already have?" Anna said giggling quietly at the end of her question.

"I am incredibly sorry for everything, from the lying to the falling on your watch." Elsa said closing her eyes not wanting to see what Anna thought of her apologies. It was obvious that Elsa needed to say more, but she was unable to muster the courage to do so.

Anna untangled her arms from her sister's. Elsa was sure she was leaving without a word, but she was proven wrong when Anna turned and inquired what she wanted for breakfast from the kitchen. Elsa smiled and requested a muffin.

* * *

Anna ran into Kai on her way out of the kitchen.

"Where is Prince Nikolas? He should know that Elsa is awake." Anna insisted to the man.

"Oh, he will not be back for at least a week, but I'm sure it would warm his heart to know his sweetheart was okay." Kai said as he hummed casually strolling through the kitchen.

Anna turned to confirm that she had heard his remark correctly, "What did you refer to her as?"

"Just his sweetheart. You know how they are." Kai said as he exited the kitchen. He sang out a showtune and kicked the door behind him as he left full of glee.

Anna was unsure if she did.

* * *

"Elsa?" Anna asked as she returned to her sister's quarters with her usual blueberry muffin. Elsa had been unsuccessfully trying to fight the pain and return to an upright sitting position. Anna placed their food on a nearby desk in a hurried motion and extended her hand out to Elsa grabbing her wrist. Together they brought Elsa up against the headboard. Anna took her seat next to her configuring the interrogation of her immobile hostage.

"Kai said something interesting as I left the kitchen." Anna started as she watched Elsa take a bite from her muffin. She nodded acknowledging that she heard Anna and she continue.

"Are you aware that neither Nikolas nor Kristoff will be at the castle for an entire week, leaving you and I alone?" Anna was beginning to make Elsa feel uncomfortable. She felt the room drop five degrees as the realization dawned on her.

"I was not aware of this, Anna." Elsa admitted. Her appetite had disappeared.

"I have some questions for you, my dear." Anna said softly while stroking Elsa's white hair. It had been years since her sister wore in cascading down her back. It was much longer than she had imagined. Elsa fought back a shudder. Anna was scaring her. The girl was never quiet, or still, or so calm.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Elsa asked looking up at her grinning sister terrified. Anna rose from the bed and shut the door to the bedroom, locking it. Elsa gulped trying to keep the remnants of her muffin in her stomach. Anna returned to her side and resumed stroking Elsa's platinum blonde hair.

"My dear, are you aware of the fact that you are unable to leave this room without my assistance?" Anna asked as her plan fell into place.

"Unfortunately, you have made it all by obvious to me." Elsa replied. Ice was forming around the edges of the bedroom. Elsa could not handle the suspense.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Elsa repeated. The smirk on her sister's face frightened her more than when Nikolas accidentally lit one of his planes on fire and sent it into the air without noticing until it landed on Elsa's desk. He had been forced to collect every paper than flew through the room at her surprise.

"Just a simple interrogation, my love." Anna said while moving herself to properly face Elsa. She had nowhere to go.

"Kai said something intriguing when I was in the kitchen, and I would like your thoughts on the subject." Elsa knew what was happening. There was nothing she could do except tell Anna the truth. Who was Prince Nikolas to Elsa? Elsa nodded.

"He referred to you as 'Nikolas's sweetheart'. I was confused me at first-" Anna said. Elsa tried to interject.

"Anna."

"But it began to make sense."

"Annaa."

"The reason you are spending large amounts of time with this man,"

"Anna, please stop."

"The reason he has been staying in our castle,"

"I don't wish to discuss this, Anna."

"The reason he knows everything about you,"

"Anna, please drop it."

"The reason he calls you Elsa, not Queen or Majesty, but Elsa."

The room grew silent. Elsa waited for Anna to speak up. To conclude what she had been hiding, but she sat with her mouth closed.

"Are you together, with him? Like, with him. Like, well. You know what I am implying. Are you with this man, Elsa?" Anna finally asked the question. She looked to Elsa, who was avoiding making eye contact. The ice crept closer to the pair. It now covered floor.

"Just tell me this, Elsa. Does the answer I seek contain three letters or two?" Anna pleaded with her sister.

Elsa shook her head hoping to free herself from the nausea overtaking her head. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she whispered, "Three."

Elsa waited for the backslash of her answer. She finally told Anna. Her relationship with Nikolas was no longer secret, but Anna still didn't know the whole truth. What happened next surprised Elsa, Anna screamed. Not in frustration or anger, but absolute joy.

Elsa felt a shift next to her and raised her eyes. Anna was in the middle of the room dancing and squealing with happiness. Elsa quickly removed the ice on the floor to avoid having two hurt sisters with the slight flick of her wrist.

"Are you serious? Is it true?" Anna was dying to hear her sister repeat her statement.

"It is true, Anna. Nikolas is courting me." Elsa said reluctantly, secretly thrilled to see Anna throw her hands in the air giggling. Human interaction had been all but foreign for her for too long. She was suddenly relieved that it was now a subject they could openly discuss.

"Why did you wait to tell me? How long has it been?" Anna's questions burst through her chest. She had so many more, but getting through to a person like Elsa was a difficult task.

"I was afraid. I couldn't be with someone you didn't approve of. It hasn't been long." Elsa replied.

"How long?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"I'm still not sure what day of the week it is."

"Saturday, I do believe."

"Are you sure you want to know?" At that point Elsa had the upper hand, though Anna had her trapped, Elsa had years of experience when it came to ignoring her sister, whether for good or for bad.

"YES. I WANT TO KNOW!" Anna yelled into the air. She was absorbing every minute of her sister's enjoyment.

"Fine. It has been nearly two months., I guess..." Elsa muttered underneath her breath hoping Anna wouldn't hear her.

"TWO MONTHS? Has he kissed you?" Anna had to know. It had taken Kristoff a week before he built up the courage. Anna's answer came with the blush that covered Elsa's face.

"He has! How many times? I am assuming more than once? Am I right? More than twice? Three times? Answer me, Elsa!" Anna was on her knees with her hands clasped in right of her pleading with Elsa for any details.

"A lady does not kiss and tell, my Princess." Elsa said as she turned her head from Anna's direction.

"You will tell me one day. But not now, because I really need to pee." Anna called as she left the room leaving Elsa to giggle. What was the girl going to do when she found out more? Her faced dropped and the room grew colder. It was inevitable, the girl would find out.

* * *

**Hello! Sorry for not updating yesterday. Thank you so much for your reviews, reading, following, favoriting, and practically everything. I have one question. Would you prefer for me to post daily/two days with the shorter chapters or space the updates out but provide longer chapters? I personally am not the biggest fan of reading the shorter chapters, but they work better for cliffhangers. Feel free to private message me if you have anything you would like to say or review if you don't mind. I really appreciate it. (By the way, yay for happy Anna!)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

* * *

Anna knew better than to ignore the second time she had heard the sound of her sister's body hitting the ground.

Anna leaped from the bed to follow the noise. She found Elsa lying on the floor with her bandage blood red.

"Kai! Gerda! Come quick! It's Elsa!" Anna screamed down the hallway. She heard a familiar, "Oh no, ohnoohnoohno!" that indicated that Gerda was on her way. When she arrived, they each grabbed under Elsa's arms and carried her to the bedroom.

"Kai!" Gerda screamed into the foyer, "Get the doctor, damnit! Get him now!"

Luckily for Elsa, the doctor expected Elsa to not remain in her bed. She had the spirit of a great ruler, inability to stand by. The doctor was staying in the guest room in the West wing.

Anna was left alone holding her sister upright position. She was unconscious causing her head to roll back. Anna had never seen her sister in the state. It tore Anna's heart apart. Their prior conversation came to Anna's thoughts. She knew now why Elsa could never be near Anna. If Anna felt this way now seeing her sister so vulnerable, she would imagine how she felt that night nearly fourteen years ago.

She held tightly onto Elsa's shoulders trying to keep the tears from falling. It was impossible. She cried as the red continued to consume the gauze on her forehead.

The doctor ran into the room nearly slipping on the rug in his fuss. He rushed to her side. He demanded that Anna move her to a position on her back. He added more gauze to the bandage on her forehead. He had to stop the bleeding before he checked if she tore her stitches. After two more layers of cloth, the blood stopped. After injecting a numbing medication to her forehead, he began to peel back the bandage.

It was worse than Anna was aware of. The blood had caked around the slice, so the doctor used salves and herbs to clean the wound. It was puckered on the edges and surrounded by a harsh purplish bruise. The culprit was three torn stitches. He used a metal utensil to remove the stitches from the skin.

He handed Anna a needle and a string-like material and asked her the thread the needle. Her hands were shaking. It took effort and a few failed attempts before managing to successfully getting the needle set. She could not stand to watch the doctor at work and left to the bathroom.

Anna tossed cold water into her face and peered at her appearance in the mirror. She cursed herself for causing Elsa distress. If she had just left the subject alone, her sister wouldn't have tried to leave the room.

"It's not your fault, Anna. It's not your fault, Anna. It is your fault, Anna." Anna said into the mirror. It was her fault. She had no one to blame but herself. She wiped her face clean off moisture and returned to her elder sister's side.

The doctor had left the room leaving behind a note with two pills for Elsa to take once she did wake.

Anna slipped beneath the covers next to her sister. She was unsure if she was out from the fall or the medication. Either way, she was not going to leave her side. She placed her arms around Elsa's waist and buried her face deep into her hair. She took a deep breath letting the smell of her sister's skin fill her nostrils. It was daylight again before she felt a shift in her arms.

Elsa felt arms around her middle as she woke from her second bout of unconsciousness. She placed her fingers around the wrist. They were a smaller size like Elsa's if not smaller. It was Anna in her bed. Anna had forgiven her enough to voluntarily stay by her side.

She rolled slightly to face her sister, who was thankfully on her good side. She moved her arms to further embrace her sister's sleeping form. Anna began to stir. Her eyelashes fluttered before her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. She kissed Elsa's nose quickly before speaking.

"Good morning, Queen Klutz. Wish to scare me further or are you content with the amount you already have?" Anna said giggling quietly at the end of her question.

"I am incredibly sorry for everything, from the lying to the falling on your watch." Elsa said closing her eyes not wanting to see what Anna thought of her apologies. It was obvious that Elsa needed to say more, but she was unable to muster the courage to do so.

Anna untangled her arms from her sister's. Elsa was sure she was leaving without a word, but she was proven wrong when Anna turned and inquired what she wanted for breakfast from the kitchen. Elsa smiled and requested a muffin.

* * *

Anna ran into Kai on her way out of the kitchen.

"Where is Prince Nikolas? He should know that Elsa is awake." Anna insisted to the man.

"Oh, he will not be back for at least a week, but I'm sure it would warm his heart to know his sweetheart was okay." Kai said as he hummed casually strolling through the kitchen.

Anna turned to confirm that she had heard his remark correctly, "What did you refer to her as?"

"Just his sweetheart. You know how they are." Kai said as he exited the kitchen. He sang out a show tune and kicked the door behind him as he left full of glee.

Anna was unsure if she did.

* * *

"Elsa?" Anna asked as she returned to her sister's quarters with her usual blueberry muffin. Elsa had been unsuccessfully trying to fight the pain and return to an upright sitting position. Anna placed their food on a nearby desk in a hurried motion and extended her hand out to Elsa grabbing her wrist. Together they brought Elsa up against the headboard. Anna took her seat next to her configuring the interrogation of her immobile hostage.

"Kai said something interesting as I left the kitchen." Anna started as she watched Elsa take a bite from her muffin. She nodded acknowledging that she heard Anna and she continue.

"Are you aware that neither Nikolas nor Kristoff will be at the castle for an entire week, leaving you and I alone?" Anna was beginning to make Elsa feel uncomfortable. She felt the room drop five degrees as the realization dawned on her.

"I was not aware of this, Anna." Elsa admitted. Her appetite had disappeared.

"I have some questions for you, my dear." Anna said softly while stroking Elsa's white hair. It had been years since her sister wore in cascading down her back. It was much longer than she had imagined. Elsa fought back a shudder. Anna was scaring her. The girl was never quiet, or still, or so calm.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Elsa asked looking up at her grinning sister terrified. Anna rose from the bed and shut the door to the bedroom, locking it. Elsa gulped trying to keep the remnants of her muffin in her stomach. Anna returned to her side and resumed stroking Elsa's platinum blonde hair.

"My dear, are you aware of the fact that you are unable to leave this room without my assistance?" Anna asked as her plan fell into place.

"Unfortunately, you have made it all by obvious to me." Elsa replied. Ice was forming around the edges of the bedroom. Elsa could not handle the suspense.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Elsa repeated. The smirk on her sister's face frightened her more than when Nikolas accidentally lit one of his planes on fire and sent it into the air without noticing until it landed on Elsa's desk. He had been forced to collect every paper than flew through the room at her surprise.

"Just a simple interrogation, my love." Anna said while moving herself to properly face Elsa. She had nowhere to go.

"Kai said something intriguing when I was in the kitchen, and I would like your thoughts on the subject." Elsa knew what was happening. There was nothing she could do except tell Anna the truth. Who was Prince Nikolas to Elsa? Elsa nodded.

"He referred to you as 'Nikolas's sweetheart'. I was confused me at first-" Anna said. Elsa tried to interject.

"Anna."

"But it began to make sense."

"Annaa."

"The reason you are spending large amounts of time with this man,"

"Anna, please stop."

"The reason he has been staying in our castle,"

"I don't wish to discuss this, Anna."

"The reason he knows everything about you,"

"Anna, please drop it."

"The reason he calls you Elsa, not Queen or Majesty, but Elsa."

The room grew silent. Elsa waited for Anna to speak up. To conclude what she had been hiding, but she sat with her mouth closed.

"Are you together, with him? Like, with him. Like, well. You know what I am implying. Are you with this man, Elsa?" Anna finally asked the question. She looked to Elsa, who was avoiding making eye contact. The ice crept closer to the pair. It now covered floor.

"Just tell me this, Elsa. Does the answer I seek contain three letters or two?" Anna pleaded with her sister.

Elsa shook her head hoping to free herself from the nausea overtaking her head. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she whispered, "Three."

Elsa waited for the backslash of her answer. She finally told Anna. Her relationship with Nikolas was no longer secret, but Anna still didn't know the whole truth. What happened next surprised Elsa, Anna screamed. Not in frustration or anger, but absolute joy.

Elsa felt a shift next to her and raised her eyes. Anna was in the middle of the room dancing and squealing with happiness. Elsa quickly removed the ice on the floor to avoid having two hurt sisters with the slight flick of her wrist.

"Are you serious? Is it true?" Anna was dying to hear her sister repeat her statement.

"It is true, Anna. Nikolas is courting me." Elsa said reluctantly, secretly thrilled to see Anna throw her hands in the air giggling. Human interaction had been all but foreign for her for too long. She was suddenly relieved that it was now a subject they could openly discuss.

"Why did you wait to tell me? How long has it been?" Anna's questions burst through her chest. She had so many more, but getting through to a person like Elsa was a difficult task.

"I was afraid. I couldn't be with someone you didn't approve of. It hasn't been long." Elsa replied.

"How long?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"I'm still not sure what day of the week it is."

"Saturday, I do believe."

"Are you sure you want to know?" At that point Elsa had the upper hand, though Anna had her trapped, Elsa had years of experience when it came to ignoring her sister, whether for good or for bad.

"YES. I WANT TO KNOW!" Anna yelled into the air. She was absorbing every minute of her sister's enjoyment.

"Fine. It has been nearly two months." Elsa muttered underneath her breath hoping Anna wouldn't hear her.

"TWO MONTHS? Has he kissed you?" Anna had to know. It had taken Kristoff a week before he built up the courage. Anna's answer came with the blush that covered Elsa's face.

"He has! How many times? I am assuming more than once? Am I right? More than twice? Three times? Answer me, Elsa!" Anna was on her knees with her hands clasped in right of her pleading with Elsa for any details.

"A lady does not kiss and tell, my Princess." Elsa said as she turned her head from Anna's direction.

"You will tell me one day. But not now, because I really need to pee." Anna called as she left the room leaving Elsa to giggle. What was the girl going to do when she found out more? Her faced dropped and the room grew colder. It was inevitable, the girl would find out.

* * *

The next week was glorious for Anna, but not so much for the Queen. Though she loved her sister more than any other person her incessant talking tended to interrupt the flow of Elsa getting her work done. Anna had tried many to times to assist the Queen in deciding which documents to consider or to trash, but she soon realized how little she knew about the surrounding areas. It was a slow few days, but Elsa loved them nonetheless.

* * *

Elsa would have been content with staying in her office and waiting for Nikolas to arrive, but Anna, being the hopeless romantic that she was, insisted that she monitor the foyer for his return. Anna had even taken the precautionary measure the walk the distance of the docks to the front door so that she did not waste too much of Elsa's time when his ship did arrive in the fjord. Time taken from the Queen during her works days was replaced with time replaced during Anna's Saturday's.

Anna made the farthest forward in Elsa's office corridor he post as she watched for the ship's arrival. She currently had nothing better to do. Kristoff had returned the day prior and was now delivering the ice he had accumulated. She had tried on multiple occasions to assist him in the deliveries but she always messed up his system somehow. One time she managed to almost cause Sven to run into a small bakery. It was a strange story that Kristoff tended to block out no matter how many times Anna wanted to discuss it.

The moment that mast of the ship was parallel to the dock, she retrieved Elsa and drug her down the staircase to the foyer. Her interest in mountain men and their adventures had resulted in increase strength.

The arrival was timed perfectly when Anna realized that Kristoff had returned to the castle. She had yet to inform the man of the Queen's new relationship, but she knew that it would not be difficult for Kristoff to view it for himself.

Nikolas walked through the front doors and dropped him luggage. He shot Elsa his signature smirk. Anna placed her hand on the small of Elsa's back pushing her slightly.

"Go already." Anna whispered in her sister's ear.

Elsa slowly approached the man she had missed so dearly He leaned back and awaited her arrival before shoving himself forward onto the balls of his feet, and closed the distance. He grabbed her hands and softly spoke.

"Hello again, my Queen." Elsa threw her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her middle. He gently picked her up and spun slowly reminding himself of her injury. Anna enjoyed the excitement in her sister's laughter. Kristoff looked down at Anna and draped his arm along her shoulders pulling her close to his side. The two reveled in the sight of a pleased Queen.

Nikolas leaned his head closer to Elsa's face, but was interrupted by Anna clearing her throat from across the room. Both dignitaries shifted quickly to investigate the interruption.

Anna rose up slightly pleased with the discomfort caused by her presence. She conjured up a confused look upon her face and swung her eyes around the room. She pointed to herself as if asking if she was unsure that she was the point of focus in the room. She smirked at her sister's face and turned her head towards Nikolas and in a humored tone said, "Are you going to kiss her, or what?"

It had slipped Anna's mind to inform her beau of her sister's changing relationship status. Kristoff was as surprised as Gerda when the couple returned to each other's side in the foyer. It was a short kiss on the cheek, nothing more than a peck, but it was enough to get Anna to squeal in girlish delight.

Kristoff looked and the Queen and with an astounded face uttered the most profound sentence Anna had ever had the pleasure of hearing.

"Wait a minute. What?"

* * *

**Hello! Sorry that it took so long for me to update. I had a bit of writer's block in between that I never really quite sorted out. It is lacking a bit in what I wanted to say about their week alone together. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. The next chapter that I post, I might make longer. I really appreciate it.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

* * *

Elsa awoke and collected herself in haste. Her hands floated to the moisture residing on her brow. It was rare that sweat accumulated on the Queen. It only seemed to happen when her unconscious thoughts were haunted by nightmares. With that thought, the images flooded her mind. She strained as she tried to put the pieces together.

She was in her office, the same night of her incident. She approached the door when a slight shift caught the moon's light in the darkest corner of the room. Her mind began to run in slow motion. The figure emerged from the void in the room and quickly closed the distance between them. His face was partially exposed by the natural light seeping in the window from the moon.

Her mind raced frantically as she recognized the features. They were Nikolas's.

Her fingers laced into her hair as the ice slowly crept across the floors and beams in her quarters. As reluctant as she was to think further about her wretched dream, there was a reason why she had it.

She focused on the man's eyes. They were the wrong shade to be Nikolas's. They were deeper and darker. They held horrid emotions, not kindness. The scar that had graced his neck had grown like ivy to cover the bottom portion of his cheek and jaw line. There was one other feature that was strange. It wasn't something the man acquired that Nikolas was lacking, but rather vice versa. He was misshapen in the darkened void of the room.

She flinched as she recalled the haunting flicker of light catching the metal blade in his outstretch hand. A smirk stretched across his lips before the world went dark and the pain ached in her mind.

By the time she had searched through all the images, a small blizzard had formed in her room. There was something wrong about the whole ordeal she couldn't quite pinpoint. She tried to keep her mind from straying towards the disturbing scenes and instead focused on the weather anomaly before her eyes.

The snow stopped- frozen midair- when the knock arrived on the door. She did not make any moves towards welcoming the guest before they entered. When the light pouring in from the window stretched towards the figure, the confusion of the dream cleared.

That was the conflict itself. It wasn't a dream. It was a memory.

* * *

He could feel it in his bones. The chilly air stinging his face. He was unaccustomed to cold due to his unnatural body heat. He noticed that the only occasions when he no longer felt warmth that encompassed him was when things were not right. The world was unbalanced. He could feel it.

He rose from his bed and exited the room quietly. If it were just a hunch, there would be no need to falsely concern the others.

He had come to know these occasions. When he was a secluded youth, some nights he would be driven awake by the feeling of another presence within reaching distance, but he never found the source. It baffled his powers and drained him of their abilities. He felt vulnerable. The feeling frightened him.

He felt the tug on his stomach increase as he passed Elsa's quarters. Even if he were entirely wrong, he had to be certain of her safety. Only she would know the emotions associated with the peculiar nature of the 'gifts' they had both been granted.

Something was off the moment his eyes fell onto her entryway. It was ajar.

He pushed the door open the rest of the way and his eyes searched the room for any form of life. He found none. The emptiness caused his heart to flutter. He hadn't been as frightened since he had found her drowning in the pool of her own blood.

If he had followed his first instinct and fled, he wouldn't have found the note. If he had followed his first instinct and ignored the letter, he would have never known of the impending danger. If he had followed his first instinct and not read the letter, he would have never known that it was either his life taken, or hers.

* * *

Nikolas sped through the corridor following the thuds resonating throughout the entire west wing of the castle. The note had been clear. If she were to live, he was to die. It was a sacrifice his was all too willing to make, but to whom?

He slammed open the doors of the dining hall and found Elsa gagged and bound lying in the middle of the room. She was not bleeding much, but it was evident that she was hurt. Her eyes were opened wide in terror. He rushed forward to her and slid on his knees to her side. He first undid the cloth blocking her speech and airway. She coughed from the freedom of air filling her lungs and shook in terror. He was about to reach for the ropes restricting her arms, but found metal clasps over her hands. No wonder she could not defend herself. The metal had cut off any attempts she had at freedom. Nikolas shuddered when a foreign but familiar voice filled the room.

"It is just so divine that we should meet again, wouldn't you say?"

Nikolas's head rushed and his blood pounded through his ears. When his eyes lay on the face, memories flooded back into his mind.

He knew this younger individual, though it had been many years since they had encountered one another. It was his own flesh and blood. It was his younger brother. Not Oliver, the kind hearted soul he had grown to adore, but Leonardo. The brother he was designed to forget. Memories of chuckles and pranks filled his mind. He had loved deeply for his brother. When the eldest no longer longed for their company, they resorted to one another. It was a mystery to him what became of his brother until the memory of his incident crept into his mind, but only this time he was not alone lurking in the shadow.

Leonardo had grown to look nearly identical, if it weren't for a few differences. His hair was longer and curlier at the ends, eyes darker than Nikolas's, but they held the same charm, and his stance was not as muscular. He had two shocking features that differed greatly from his elder brother, the first being the scorching red scar gracing his face and his apparent lack of a right arm. Nikolas remembered now as the memories flowed into his brain stopping any other functions in his body. His breathing halted in his throat and his eyes froze on the figure.

Though Nikolas had left from the incident with a curse that would forever haunt him, he kept all ten fingers and toes, unlike the youngest of the brothers.

Nikolas grabbed Elsa, bringing her to her feet. He quickly placed her behind him to separate the enemy from his prey.

"What the hell is going on? You were supposed to be dead." Nikolas spat out. The confusion of the entire situation was overwhelming his mind. Was the man before him an apparition of a childhood haunting him? Was this all just a deluded nightmare?

The unsheathing sound of a drawn sword was enough to break him from his mental questioning. Elsa tried to discretely shuffle away from the feuding men. They were distracted enough by the slow circling motion of battle's swordplay dance that her departure was momentarily unseen.

"It would be your wish that I was dead. To rid me from your life? That would be just perfect wouldn't it?" Leo countered. He lunged forward to strike but his brother parried. He was out of shape and his arm jerked as the sword absorbed the impact. The shock shook throughout his appendage and into his core. "I was your burden. He only convinced me to join you on the trail so that that you could simply dispose of me. But you will realize that I am not that easily discouraged." Leo said in a softer tone. His voice echoed creating the only noise besides the sound of heavy breathing and the gradual movement of feet.

"I do not understand what you want from me." Nikolas growled. The memories were returning in flashes.

"You were the reason for my life to fall apart in ashes. The world will be a better place once I rid it of you." Leo muttered out. His confidence was faltering. It was evident that though this course of action was well planned, he was unsure if the execution would ever occur. Lately, it had become an improbable outcome. That was, until he discovered his brother's week spot.

Leo surged forward contemplating his opponent's reaction. Leonardo had sought out the required training to properly fight with a single arm, but though he trained he lacked in practice. Nikolas had spent the duration of his teenage years practicing alone in his quarters. He had put the time forth that the younger lacked.

"You honestly think you were the only one unaffected by the incident?" Nikolas was utterly outraged. His brother was unable to see past his own losses to discover the hardships that lay in front of him. Leonardo enthusiastically waved his remaining portion of his limb to further emphasize the remarked regarded as blasphemy in his mind.

"Did perfect little Nikolas get lonely after his brothers move on?" Leo sarcastically yelled across to the ballroom. The thought that he was unaware of the powers laid upon his brother's shoulders horrified him. Was he was misinformed?

Elsa had finally rested in the opposite section of the ballroom. She was to the side of the men not letting herself drift far from Nikolas but maintaining the fact that Leo's eyes had yet to fall on her. Her skull was rattling by the situation. Was the possibility of an unknown brother that bizarre from everything else that had occurred in his life?

"You seem to be lacking in knowledge when it comes to what we lost and gained on that day. You lost your arm, but I gained this." Nikolas raised his hands above his head. Embers created a ring enclosing the two men together. From the embers produced flames that rose at least four feet high encompassing them. He had successfully created a barrier between Leo and Elsa, and demonstrated his point quite nicely. The fighting broke loose.

The brothers had learned basic swordplay from the same instructor. Their style was all too familiar. Leonardo's lack of right side led to interesting defensive techniques and maneuverability unknown to Nikolas. His skill set was barely enough to keep Nikolas alive, but every time his strike would lead Leonardo closer to the unbearable heat emitted by the flames, he would falter. It created a game in Nikolas's mind. The prospect of keeping Elsa's and his own life intact was enough to throw his brain into overdrive. He did not wish to torch his brother, but if the need came, he might possibly control his powers yet.

The commotion brought moths to a flame. Literally. The door eventually creaked open revealing red locks peering through the doorway. Anna's eyes laid upon a scene she could only manage to conjure up in her worst nightmares. He eyes locked with Elsa's across the inferno consumed room. Anna could make out one word on her sister's lips, '_Go_.' She looked in horror at the men in the center. Nikolas the man she thought she could trust was standing in the midst of the flames. His hair was singed at the ends and his hands were ablaze. His shirt was burnt to a crisp and held no purpose staying on his body. He stripped off the remaining bits of the article exposing the large scar that covered his torso. The only difference was the fire in his veins that ran over the length of his body leaving his torso to match the red hue of the hungry flames. He held a sharpened gladius in front of his body. The metal glowed from the exposure to such intense heat radiating from its wielder. A man slightly younger stood before him. He clothes too were tattered but he was eerily similar. Same skin tone, hair color, and disposition. Anna let the rage seep from her mouth. "YOU!" She screamed pointing at the men. She turned quickly on her heel and ran to get the guards remaining in the castle. It was only a matter of time before Leo erupted. Nikolas was running out.

Leo took the distraction as an opportunity to strike. He leapt forward inside his brother's block. He had incredible speed and dexterity in his left arm but his right side was utterly exposed. He quickly shuffled alongside his brother's lunged and crouched dodging the blade's side and he draw it again closer to his body. With a quick motion, Leo pulled his maneuver. He sidestepped his brother's block once more but instead of initiating a defensive move to bring him even closer to his opponent, he took his chance. The black blade sliced though Nikolas's side in a chaotic arch. The results were devastating. The cut was deep enough that blood poured out like a dam breaking loose.

Nikolas's body was enveloped in flames at the outrage hidden inside him. He did not care for the slash on his side, though the blood was felt as it washed down his stomach. The pain subsided as the fiery pull in the depths of his stomach was unleashed into the surrounding air. He looked down in astonishment. The embers produced from his powers were enough to cauterize the strike along his middle section. It left the wound mostly healed in a gross puckered red line. Blood still flowed from the unclosed middle.

"You have the audacity to blame _me_ for what occurred to _you_? You had every intention of following me up the volcano whether I asked you to or not, your mind was made."

"I was a mere _child_, I had no idea of what peril lay ahead!" Leo roared in outrage.

"I had only two years on you, and you act as though I am an omnipotent and being capable of predicting what course of actions will result in which repercussions." Nikolas continued in dire hope that his words my reach him.

"You are letting yourself fall into my pattern. The self-loathing and hate for the world around you. You cannot change what has already happened. Time is a constant and unwavering thing. There is no way to defeat it or alter it. What is done is done. I let my curse overrun and overtake my life. It sucked the air I breathed out of my chest. The curse and I were not two different things. We were one, and in tandem we created destruction, starting with my own life. I would have taken anything over this curse. I would have had every limb cut off of my body before I were to enjoy conjuring fire."

"Humans are creatures that constantly crave perfection. They will do anything before they let something other than the norm arise. My disfigurement would bring outrage in their eyes. They would rather have me castoff than to except that I am different from them." Leo replied. The light cast off from the cursed circle of fire illuminated Leo's skin. It was apparent that he was tiring physically and mentally.

"Though your injury was not originally accepted, people could find a way. Trust me. They would take a one armed man over a fire wielder any day. Any false move I make would result in complete destruction of their entire infrastructure. They be reluctant towards you company, but they are intolerant towards mine." Nikolas was pleading. He had to preserve as many lives as he could at that point in the battle.

"At least your own mother didn't cast you out." Leo yelled back. His voice cracked in desperation. He had to get every pent up emotion hiding inside of his body out before he exploded in an outburst fueled by rage and agony. The flames danced in the reflection of his anguished eyes.

Nikolas fell to the floor writhing as the memories flowed back into his mind, the revelation of his false statement could bring his struggles to an end. Before Leo could advance, Nikolas rose from the ground, shoulders higher, face sterner. The inferno rose to accommodate its master. Elsa could no longer view the bottom half of the men. Smoke began to fill the empty space of the room.

"Mother never exiled you! You left in preparation of a false hope that she would be as disgusted in your body as you were. You wanted her to. You crave the pity and attention required to hate someone. You needed her to hate you, because that way you would get any sort of emotion towards yourself. You overlooked a powerful thing: a mother's love. We spent weeks searching for you. Once I was healthy enough, I never returned to the house, fore I was looking for you. We grieved for your absence. The doctor told us it was illogical to hold the hope that you would be living. 'No simple young man could survive with such an injury away from medical treatment.' is what he would tell us. I never forgave myself. It wasn't after the third attempt to take my own life did the shaman return and wash away the memories and self hatred that filled me from your disappearance. I then let it all come from the curse. If you think your life was out of the ordinary, imagine mine." Nikolas yelled. Leo slowly dropped to his knees coughing. The smoke inhalation was getting to him. Nikolas's enraged scowl fell as he realized he was killing his brother, and possibly anyone else in the room. The flames dropped and the smoke subsided. The red glow from the diminishing fire was the only light source in the room. They were soon enveloped into near darkness. Light from the moon hit the floor from the partially opened curtains. Nikolas stood with his sword's tip not far from his brother's throat. He took a long breathe as Leo's sobs filled the room.

It was an eerie silence before Nikolas spoke, "You have three options from this point. The first being, I kill you here and now and end this vicious cycle. You will not suffer." Leo's cries halted as he listened closer to his brother's words. "That is the least likely of options, fore I am a coward. Bringing the death you so wish and deserve is not my purpose for existence. Second, you can be taken into Arendelle custody. You will be dealt with however the officials deem fit. I will have no say. I am only mindful that Arendelle is not kind to charges of treason and near assassination. I am unsure on how much suffering you would endure." Leo's fingers ran over the smooth surface of the dagger in his coat pocket. He could end it there and now. He could be the end to his journey in life. A nagging thought in the furthest crevice of his mind knew that Nikolas would disarm him before he would even get the chance. It was useless to attempt.

"And finally the third option. You leave Arendelle never to return again. You go to our mother and make amends. She misses you dearly. You will admit to her all that you have done. You will truly discover whether the love I claim she has for you is actually there. I cannot say how much you will suffer. Only time will tell." Nikolas knew he had him cornered. As much as his own demise did intrigue him, Leo was curious. He had not matured as much over his adventures as he would have liked to have led on. The thought that acceptance could be within his grasp was too much for him to comprehend.

"How will you be certain that I do not run?" Leo said. He was searching for a loophole, and Nikolas was aware.

"You will be properly escorted by the Queen's men. If you fail to send a letter from the Kingdom before the fortnight is concluded, I will send every resource I could possibly get my hands on out for you head." Leo knew what his decision would be. He rose to his feet all while the hot blazing tip of Nikolas's sword stayed at the base of his neck. If needed, the first option was always available.

Leo coughed again hoping to finally clear the smoke and tears from his throat.

"I will take the third." Leo reluctantly choked out. It was never in his original plan to surrender. He would go out either with Nikolas or without him.

"Very well then. I will see to it that you make it there." Nikolas slowly lowered his sword and waved for the few men still standing in the doorway. They approached the torn up men.  
"Please escort this man to Cariden. Regard him as a traitor and a prisoner of war until he was entered through the front doors of the palace. You do not leave his side until amends are made." Nikolas reported to the men. They each grabbed a side of Leo. One soldier grabbed his arm, the other his waist, due to the lack of appendages to hold on his side. As the drug him past his brother he raised his hand ordering him to stop. He leaned in to his brother's face locking eyes. Flames flickered in Nikolas's irises.

"You have threatened my home, my life, and most importantly the woman I love. No matter how forgiving mother is, do not think your apologies will work as easily on me. It must be earned." Nikolas growled before turning and addressing the fallen Queen. She had gone unconscious during the flames and was now residing on the floor not too far from the battle. Nikolas crouched and looped his arms under Elsa into a bridal style lift. He looked to the last remaining guards and spoke in between silent tears.

"Find the doctor and send him to her quarters. I will meet him there. Also send someone to explain to Princess Anna that the Queen is no longer in danger and the enemy has been irradiated. And lastly, please just tell her not to kill me." Nikolas croaked out as he began his trek across the castle to her room. It wasn't until he reached her corridor did she awake. She blinked multiple times before finally keeping her eyes open absorbing her surroundings.

"Is everything okay?" She said. It was a failed attempt at speech due to the inhalation resulting in lack of moisture along the lining of her throat. She tried to clear it to make another attempt, but it left her in a coughing fit. Nikolas brought her closer into his chest hoping that her cool skin would lower the anger boiling inside of him.

"Everything is now." Elsa nestled her face deeper into his chest soothing his flesh.

* * *

**Hello. Sorry that I have neglected updating. Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and everything. I really appreciate it. Please tell me what you think. I will try to update again before Wednesday of next week. I apologize again. I did not intend to space the updates out so much. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

* * *

He brought her into chamber. He gently placed her unto the bed not wishing to unsettle her injuries. He traced her cool, slender fingers along the angry red scar gracing his torso. It was amazing what the body was possible of accomplishing with just a little bit of magic.

He raised the hand she was cradling. It was evident that her wrist was in poor condition. It was purple and budging to nearly twice the size of the other.

"I am unsure if this will work, but for the time being conjure an ice cube and hold it right about here." Nikolas said as he pointed to the place where her wrist and hand met. It was at an unusual angle indicating a possible break. She cringed as the pressure was placed on the wound. He stroked the sweat collected on her brow and cleared her hair from her eyes. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and approached the mirror. His body was in terrible condition. He scar was worse than he originally expected. Blood coated the entire lower half of his stomach, save for a few spots where it possible rubbed off on the Queen's tattered dress.

"Was it true?" Elsa asked in a soft tone. She was gazing out into the moonlit plaza of the kingdom. It was serene and ever so unsettling.

"Was what true, my Queen?" Nikolas replied. A scowl graced his features as he poked the puckered line.

"You said I was the woman you, uh, cared a lot about…" Elsa's voice did not reach above a whisper. She refused to meet his eyes and red crept unto her cheeks. It was nearly unnoticeable in the soft light of the stars, but anyone who knew her enough was aware of its presence.

"Of course. I did not intend for this to be the situation in which you found out, but I need you to know now more than ever. I do care very much for you" It was Nikolas's turn to shyly avert his line of sight as the Queen's eyes bore into his face. It may have not been the answer she had anticipated, but it was the honest truth.

The doctor entered the room before the awkward silence that always occurred throughout their romance ensued. He immediately went to the Queen's side to begin the analysis of the damage done. She sharply inhaled oxygen through her clenched teeth when he grasped her wound arm into his hand.

"A small fracture possibly, a clean break at the most. You should keep some ice on it, if possible." The doctor said winking at Elsa before he walked to his equipment lying at the foot of her bed. He produced two flat pieces of wood and a roll of cloth. He went to work to immobilize the joint.

He moved from the woman's side and approached Nikolas. "Sit lad! You should not stay standing with such blood loss." The doctor softly pushed Nikolas rushing him to the other sit of Elsa's bed. He brought out a needle.

"Just let me stitch the remaining opening." The doctor requested a conjured shard of ice to place on the slash. He was lacking on anesthetics at the moment, and it was unlikely for a pharmacy to be open in the dead of night, even for royalty.

"Now your majesty, this will sting immense, but please refrain from twitching if possible." The doctor put on a small grim smile and by candle light went to work. Once the job was done (successfully, but not without a few profane words on the Prince's part) the doctor cleaned the blood from his torso and promised to return in the morning leaving the two alone.

Nikolas's head dropped into his hand. He tried not to shift too much, he was aware of the consequences from tearing a stitch and so was Elsa. His hands fell, covered in the sweat gathering on his forehead. He pushed himself off the bed and returned to his previous position in front of the mirror. His eyes grazed his body in disgust. He was a manifestation of everything wrong in the world. His only gift was the uncontrollable inferno coursing through his veins. His life would be different if everything he caused would be beneficial to his peers and not composed of pure destructive characteristics. He grabbed the cloth from the basin of water and wiped his perspiration drenched face.

"I will leave in the morning if you wish. I know my feelings are not reciprocated and I had anticipated that much. I am a creature of havoc. Nothing I do will bring you but misfortune. I am undeserving of your company. I apologize for everything that has unfolded. I will go." Nikolas let the words flow from his mouth without restriction. It was too far from a perfect situation for him to hold in what he truly thought of himself. There were no redeeming qualities. There was no purpose for his existence, especially to her.

He closed his eyes and approached her side. The tears fell silently from his face. He couldn't bear looking her in the eyes. He softly stroked her cheeks, oblivious to the moisture also residing on her face. He leaned and pressed his lips to her head absorbing his last moments with the only love in his life: his only beacon of hope for something better and bigger than himself.

It was too far from a perfect situation for Elsa to keep hiding in her true feelings. She had let her anxiety run her life for far too long. She feared not the future, and spoke what Nikolas wanted to hear most in the world not before grabbing his jaw and kissing him hard.

"I care about you too."

He embraced Elsa and held her close to his chest. His face nestled in the crook of her neck taking in the smell of her hair. It was no longer an option for him to continue the façade that he was mentally sound. The true was, he was far from a stable individual. He let the emotions flow through him and he shamelessly cried. He sobbed quietly while she stroked him back. He had every right to fall apart.

When they broke apart, he took her hand into his own.

"Goodnight, my Queen. I will see you in the morning. Sleep well." He turned to the door. He made every attempt to not show his reluctance, but he had enough respect to know to not be in a woman's quarters in the night. It was an understood rule.

"Don't leave." Elsa asserted faintly. She had resorted to her usual tactic of tucking her legs against her body and clutching them close bringing her knees to her chest. "Please?" She always suffered from debilitating nightmares. The thought of what slumber might bring to her frightened her deeply.

Nikolas resisted the smirk threatening to grace his features. He seized the pillow from the opposite side and the quilt lying on the trunk across the room. He stretched the blanket across the floor next to Elsa and threw the pillow at the end. He ungracefully flopped onto the floor and placed his forearm over his eyes. He heard a small noise and uncovered them momentarily to find Elsa peering over at him attempting to hold in laughter.

The night's events had frazzled both of their brains and they began to laugh. It was enough to send them both over the edge. They clutched their sides as laughter shook throughout their bodies. When it finally subsided, Elsa's arm flopped over the edge of the mattress. Her eyes finally shut when Nikolas intertwined his fingers into her's and the sleep she was no longer regretting took hold. They fears she harbored of harming in her sleep melted away.

* * *

Elsa awoke to Anna staring from her across the room.

"Why?" Anna asked. Elsa could not find her voice.

"I thought we had reached the end of secrets?" Anna reiterated her thoughts.

"Why is it every damn time, we try to have an argument, you go and get yourself nearly killed?" Anna was in tears. Her whole infrastructure had fallen out from under her.

Elsa was speechless. Why had she resisted telling Anna? How did she possibly think that any good would come from it?

"I don't know." Elsa shut down. Her face became a blank slate. In that moment, she desperately wished to become the girl in her mantra: devoid of emotion. Numb.

Anna moved the chair from the far corner of the room and placed it in front of Elsa. Anna leaned back defiantly and crossed both her arms and legs.

"You are going to tell me everything you possibly could about anything that has happened in your life starting… now." Anna said.

"What do you mean everything?" Elsa asked. She was relieved that her sister hadn't stormed out of her room never wishing to speak to her again, but at what cost?

"If there is anything in this world about you that you think I don't know, tell me. Now." Anna glared at Elsa.

"I, uh, don't know where to start." Elsa replied. She had developed Nikolas signature nervous habit, running her fingers continuously through her hair.

"Urgh, fine. I will start with questions." Anna said as she threw her arms in frustration. She knew that Elsa most likely had good reasons for not telling her, but she desperately wanted to know what. Elsa nodded for her to continue.

"What did you do throughout your isolation?"

"I studied, practiced my powers, and surprising learned a few instruments." Anna's eyebrows rose. She was unaware of Elsa's abilities. She was starting with the lesser questions to avoid her sister's shut downs. It honestly frightens Anna when it occurs. Elsa, the girl who tries endlessly to be strong, goes blank. Her eyes glaze over, and her face is void of emotion. She closes inward on herself making her seem smaller than she already is. It frightens Anna to see her so vulnerable.

"How often did you think of me?"

Elsa's voice caught in her throat. "Every day."

"Was Nikolas your first kiss?"

Elsa giggled coldly while shaking her head. "No."

Anna mouth fell open. Elsa could feel the breath rushing out of her sister's lungs.

"What do you mean no?" Anna was sitting on the edge of her seat with all ill emotions momentarily forgotten.

"I didn't expect it to happen. Do you remember when the three young Princes from the Eastern Isles came with their parents?" Elsa asked with her face in her hands. It was not a story she was quite fond of.

Anna nodded her head. She remembered Elsa's eyes were closed. "Yes, I do."

"Well, when you four were playing games, I was reading in Father's study. I didn't expect anyone to come in there, but of course, I was mistaken." Anna was thoroughly intrigued.

"I was reading a novel when he came in. He refused to leave, and I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't force him for fear that I would hurt him with my powers, so I let him stay. He eventually moved to stand behind me and read over my shoulder." Elsa's face was turning red at the memory.

"It was unfortunately a romance novel, so when one of his brothers called him back, he kissed me. I was so surprised that I didn't know how to react. That marked the first time I froze an entire bookshelf." Anna was laughing herself nearly to the point of tears. She could only imagine fourteen year old isolated Elsa being kissed by a random Prince.

Anna brought herself back to reality. "What did you do? Did you say anything?"

"Of course not! What was I to say?" Elsa muttered keeping her head secured in her palms. She let her index finger softly trace the scar along her hairline.

"What all do you know that happened?" Elsa knew there was no point in delaying the conversation any further. The sooner Anna knew, the sooner the weight of the world may be lifter from her shoulders.

Anna cleared her throat before answering. The image of a broken Elsa telling her to go was burned into her vision every time she closed her eyes.

"Well, I am now aware that Nikolas is not all that he originally seemed. Flames and all." Anna's voice returned to the enraged tone she held towards the beginning of their discussion.

"It wasn't what it probably looked like." Elsa groaned as she formulated the thoughts in her head. There is no way that in the midst of the inferno, that Nikolas looked anything but guilty.

"Then what was like, Elsa. Tell me." Anna said as she leaned forward from her chair. She placed Elsa's injured wrist between her palms softly tracing the purplish marks. Elsa cringed when her fingers reached the origin of the break, hidden slightly by the makeshift splint.

"It wasn't Nikolas's fault. The things that happened in his life are all too strange for me to tell you. You would need him to explain those aspects. He was unaware that his brother was alive, nor was he aware that his brother was seeking revenge." Elsa said. She watched Anna's fingers drift over Elsa's palm. Her sister's fascination with her hands confused her. For years, they were the bane of her existence. Anna drew patterns of snowflakes into the soft skin of her palm.

"Leo, his brother, took me as bait. Nikolas had no doings in 'this'." Elsa reaffirmed as she pointed to the fractured bone.

"What about this? Was it truly an accident?" Anna asked as her fingers traced the scar gracing the Queen's forehead. Elsa shook her head and shifted her eyes to Anna's.

As much as she wished to be upset with her sister, she knew that it was useless. Though her methods were usually off, Elsa did everything in her power to protect her sister. She did not want to originally admit it, but she knew that her sister was correct in her decision to keep Nikolas from her. If Anna had been involved, the outcome of their companionship would likely be altered.

"It will be okay, Elsa. So which instruments did you learn?" Anna said with a smile. Now was not the appropriate time to upset her sister. She had already endured enough over the night.

* * *

Nikolas fled the room when Anna appeared. Her eyes were dark and glazed over with rage. He knew better than to open his mouth again. It always led to too much coming forth. It gave him time to reflect on the recent events.

It took approximately three and a half days to reach collection of islands that his kingdom resided over. Once on the closest island to Arendelle, it was a journey switching from horse back to ferry before they reached the main island, Damian. It was just as he remembered. He left the Kingdom two months prior to his arrival at Arendelle. It was in these small travels that he came to know of Elsa's existence. From then on, his adventure had a purpose.

His mother was aware of his arrival, but made no rush to greet him once his party entered the castle's barrier. Familiarity swept over the crowd in the courtyard. Besides his departure, they had only seen Nikolas during his early childhood, similar to Elsa's, he purposely kept himself from the public's eyes. Nikolas felt awkward and out of place in his people's eyes. To them, he was the one that lived. His reputation preceded him.

Abigale was the first to greet him. They met in the foyer, and her eyes grew wide. His arrival was unknown to her, so the element of surprise was in his favor. She squealed when he gently picked her up and spun her in circles. When it came to his sister, he never had to worry about his powers staying in check.

Nikolas came with a purpose, and he was determined to return to Elsa as soon as possible. The familiar tug in his stomach pulled once more. He was sure that this time, it wasn't the flames.

He paced the living room, his usual habit, before deciding to head to his quarters. He walked the familiar path leading to his bedroom. The carpet looked worn, possibly from his continuous steps. As a child, when he needed time out of his room to further clear his mind, he would pace the secluded carpeted hallway leading to his personal wing.

After the incident, his mother relocated him further away from common living areas into an unoccupied portion of the guest quarts. Unlike Elsa, he was free to roam the castle as he pleased, just as long as he did not set anything a flame. It became too difficult for him to control himself in the teenage years of his existence, so he resorted to the pacing.

The rug stretched the length of the corridor. It had been replaced once due to the singed edges and marks from his shuffling feet. It was all in vain. The current carpet was worse than the prior occupant of the hallway. His mother never bothered to replace it once more.

His room looked eerily the same. It was stone, impervious to the fire than flickered from his hands. His bed frame, made from metal sat in the far corner of the room, the mattress on the other. There were charred handprints, burnt into the fabric. He let out his frustrations by destroying anything he could get his hands on. It was this habit, he feared, that would mark the end of his days.

He grabbed the furniture from the ground and fixed back into its place. He then moved to right the overturned dresser. He had left his bookshelf in perfect condition. It was organized and pristine. Nikolas grazed his hand other the soft mahogany surface. He let his fingers linger over the well used spines of the novels. It was a mystery to him why he was able to control himself when it came to the literature he read. He was not perfect by any means. His point was further proven when he approached the pile of singed publications.

He moved next to his desk. It too was crudely constructed of metal in an attempt to keep him from destroying the documents his step father entrusted him with. It was littered pictures.

Abigale and Nikolas had a strange relationship. She had been born in the midst of his hardest years. He was able to view Abigale's early developmental years from afar. He made no effort towards a sibling bond due to his constant struggle to keep himself in check. It was one accidental night that they initiated their strange tradition.

Nikolas's powers had burst forth in the night. He was haunted by nightmares containing images of his last memory of his father.

He had left his room to obtain a glass of water, or any beverage for that manner that would quench the heat he was certain was melting his insides.

His breathe stopped when he entered the kitchen. Abigale was around six at the time. He knew enough about the girl to know that she was far superior intellectually to any other six year old her tutor had witnessed. Though he may have complimented her to boost her confidence, Nikolas saw that it was not far off from the truth.

"Hello." Abigale said quietly. She was aware of the existence of her brother and often saw him lurking in the shadows of her lessons. She was less worried about what he might possibly be, but what repercussions she might have due to her being awake deep into the night.

"H-hello." Nikolas replied hoarsely. He soon remembered the purpose of his journey to the kitchen. He turned on his heel and removed a glass from the cabinet. He shifted his view slightly to see the small girl. She was too small to reach anything in the kitchen that could harm her, so he found no reason to remove her from the room. Instead he reached and collected another glass for her.

He took the fresh milk from the ice box and began to pour it into the cups. His attention turned towards the small cupboard above the sink. His hand lingered over the handle. He reassured that the girl was not watching him closely. With a swift move, he quietly grabbed the red tin. In it held his secret chocolate collection. Though he was aware that his hiding spot was very poor, no one bothered it.

He placed the tin under his arm and grabbed the two glasses. He advanced towards the seat across from the girl. He placed the cup in front of her and waited for her attention to divert from the art project sprawled across the table.

She looked towards the somewhat foreign man, unsure what to say. She grasped the glass between her small hands and raised the edge to her lips. In silence they drank. He drummed his fingers atop the worn metal top of the container. He pushed it between them. Her curiosity of the treasures was shown across her features. He removed the lid and placed it to the side. He took one chocolate and waited for the girl. She shyly glanced at the boy making sure that it was acceptable for her to take part in the consumption of such goods. She reached a small hand out and plucked a treat from the container. With a smile, they ate their goods and Abigale continued her drawing.

Nikolas reveled in the small, but heartwarming encounter with the sister he was so unfamiliar with. His attention was moved from the window overlooking the valley when Abigale rose on her knees from her chair. Without toppling, she placed a small sheet of parchment and a red piece of dyed wax. She returned to her art, stealing a few glances at the man.

Nikolas accepted her invitation to join in her fun. Together, they drew in silence. It was only when the milk in their glasses was depleted and a yawn escaping from her lips, did he depart. He escorted her to her quarters quietly. Nikolas could not hide his surprise when she grasped his hand as they ascended up the main stair case. When they finally reached her room, she handed him a folded sheet of paper and then quickly entered her room.

Once Nikolas sat at his own desk, he opened the paper. On it was a crudely colored depiction of Nikolas and Abigale. He smiled at the picture. It was not the forced smile that he had to hold when meeting visitors, but a true smile of joy.

It became a tradition of sorts. Once every month, Nikolas would place a soft knock at Abigale's door. They would meet in the kitchen and engage in light conversations, chocolate eating contests, and drawing.

* * *

It was not until dinner time had reached that someone arrived the retrieve him. His hair was smoking slightly on the ends. He was unsure as to how the whole ordeal would pan out.

He arrived to an already filled table. His stepfather sat at the head with his golden son and wife on either sides of him. Abigale reluctantly sat next to Oliver. They were known to dispute and often engage in arguments if placed too close to one another.

Nikolas took his traditionally seat next to his mother, his only true connection to the family at the table. Though he shared some DNA with Abigale, the other two were no blood of his. Abigale gave Nikolas a small wave when he sat. They spoke little to no words to him. It was like he had never left.

"I like your hair that way." Abigale said in an attempt to break the silence. She was the only one on Nikolas's side. He absolutely adored the girl.

"Thank you, Abigale. I do as well." Nikolas said as his fingers ran through his locks. When he had departed, it had begun to reach his shoulders. Nikolas felt his mother's slender fingers slide through his hair, softly grazing his scalp. He was glad that the attention was solely focused on his least terrifying physical attributes.

It wasn't far into the main course before his step father finally spoke.

"So Nikolas, did you find anything interesting on your 'vacation'?" The King was originally worried about letting the man back into their lives. He wasn't necessarily sad to see him go.

"I saw many things. Some I would not wish to see again, some I wish dearly to return to." Nikolas replied. His thoughts drifted back to the life he temporarily left in Arendelle. He did not want to discuss the events at such a time, but he was unsure that his step father would allow them another chance to talk.

Abigale frowned slightly. She was thrilled to have her brother home, and did not wish to see him leave again so soon.

"What is it that you found so enthralling in the other parts of this world?" The King asked. His saw the boy as nothing but a deadbeat, though he did care deeply for him, he had no interest in his adventures, but he found no other way to please his wife than to interact with his step son.

"A life." Nikolas replied. He leaned back into his chair. He felt his mother's gaze on his face. He knew it was not the most appropriate thing to say, but he found no other way to communicate to the man than with blunt remarks.

"Was that something you were lacking here?" The Queen inquired. It hurt her tremendously that her son found his existence at her home to be lacking.

"I found many things on my journey, including my control. I cannot exist here with the constant reminders of the road it took to reach what I have." Nikolas demonstrated his willpower through an exercise he had practiced continually with Elsa. He thrust his hand outward and created a flame dancing on his palm. With his newfound expertise, he willed the flame to take shape, and slowly it transformed. It was a dragon that breathed outward a miniature inferno that reached as far as his forearm. He was unable to contain it for long, so he clenched his hand to extinguish the flames and placed his hand back in his lap.

"Wow." Abigale said as she rose on her knees to lean towards Nikolas. The wonder in her eyes pulled at his heartstrings. It was a small trick, but it left his family in awe nonetheless.

The King cleared his throat. "I do believe we have much to discuss." He waved his hand to dismiss the younger children. Abigale sighed and reluctantly removed herself from the table. Oliver grasped her forearm and led her out of the room.

"You have demonstrated much progress. How?" The King inquired.

"I have had assistance in practicing control. I have found that anger and fear have been fueling my outbursts. It took many hours, but I have managed to drastically change how I perceive situations and the repercussions of them." Nikolas replied letting the pride slip into his voice. He was being cocky, but he had worked too hard not to.

The King's eyes narrowed. "Those are lies." He yelled. He slammed his hand on the table and rose from his seat. Yes, Nikolas had proven himself untrustworthy in the past, but he had to get it through his step father's thick skull that he was being honest.

"What I tell you is honest. I know you have no reasons to believe me." Nikolas addressed both of the royal parents in the room. His mother kept her eyes low, not wishing to further enrage either man. Nikolas knew she did not believe him.

"No, we do not!" The King said. He heaved a large amount of air from his system and returned to his seat.

"I have found all that I need and more. Please, you have to believe me. Have I not shown you the truth?" Nikolas raised his palm once more letting the flames flicker. They were controlled, not leaving his hand.

His mother looked deep into his eyes. "What more have you possibly found? We have given you everything you could wish for." She lifted her arms indicating she was talking about their home. Or at least what she had tried to make home for Nikolas.

"Love." Nikolas said closing his eyes. He knew his response would evoke emotions in his mother's heart, but he was unsure what else to say.

"Be gone with your lies." The King said placing a hand on the crying Queen's shoulder.

"I will leave again tomorrow." Nikolas replied as he left the room.

* * *

Nikolas awoke from his nightmares in a sweaty fit. He made his way down the familiar path. Without a second thought, he placed a knock and Abigale's door and continued to the kitchen. He was surprised to find that she was already waiting for him. The glasses had been poured and the chocolate was set out. She was asleep on her arm snoring softly.

Nikolas quietly took his seat across from the tired girl and poked her gently with the end of the writing utensil. She blinked a few times before her eyes adjusted on the man before her.

They began to draw.

"Niko?" Abigale tried not to use his actual name if possible. She said it detracted from his childlike characteristics.

"Yes?" Nikolas knew that with her curiosity, it was very unlikely that she was unaware of what had occurred in the dining hall.

"You might want to talk softer if you wish not to be heard. What is it that you found out there that is not here?" Abigale inquired. She had heard his remark of love, but it pained her so to think that he was felt rejected in his own home.

"It is unlike you to have little to no assumptions." Nikolas smirked and stuck his tongue out as he concentrated on his picture of a snowman. He had grown a liking to Olaf's strange ways, and knew that the snow creature would treasure a portrait made by Nikolas.

Abigale was quiet. She had her thoughts, but she was afraid to voice them. She hated to be incorrect, but the risks of implying were often worth it.

"What is her name?" Abigale asked. She tried to hold Nikolas's gaze. She was desperate to know if her assumptions were correct.

Nikolas sighed and discontinued working on Olaf's picture. Nikolas ran his hand through his hair, his nervous habit. Abigale grinned slightly when she recognized the telltale signs of his discomfort.

"Promise you will not reiterate this to Mother?" Nikolas asked, fighting the urge to look at his younger sister. When he did, he found her nodding vigorously and grinning proudly.

"Elsa. Queen Elsa." Nikolas said. He did not know all of her sister's geography lessons, but he was almost positive she would not recognize her name. He at least hoped she wouldn't.

Abigale nearly fell from her chair. She had not expected him to openly admit his courtship, nor did she suspect it to be with a Queen.

"Does she know about the…" The girl asked as she raised her hands. She conjured an imaginary flame that morphed into an entire invisible inferno. With sound effects.

Nikolas nodded and continued his picture. Abigale was stunned, and extremely overjoyed.

"Will I ever get to meet her?" Abigale was an inquisitive girl. She always had been. It was one of the many things about her Nikolas adored.

"I would hope so." Nikolas said. It was the honest truth. As much as he wished to rid himself of the life he held in Cariden, he knew he could never bear to leave his sister behind. He understood Elsa's isolation more than anyone knew.

His was not nearly to the extent of Elsa's, but it existed all the same. He would let himself one interaction a month with another family member, but other than that, he restricted himself from all contact with other humans.

"What is she like?" Abigale asked shyly. She knew better than to prod her brother, but she had missed his small presence in her life dearly.

"Elsa is magnificent. She is beautiful in anyway a person could possibly be. She puts those she loves, including her people, before herself. Always. She is incredibly intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate." Nikolas said letting the pride slip into his voice. He hadn't realized the smile that slipped onto his face in the candlelit room. Abigale had never viewed her brother so enjoyed.

"Is she pretty?" Abigale kept the conversation going. She didn't want to see her brother's saddened face again.

"She is the most stunning person on the face of the Earth." Nikolas spoke only above a whisper before returning to Olaf's portrait.

"Does she have a sister?" Nikolas remembered the story of Anna's multiple sacrifices for Elsa's life.

"A great one. Just like you. But a bit older." Abigale grinned at her older brother.

They remained in silence for the rest of their night.

* * *

Nikolas was surprised by the knocking on his door. He was in the midst of reorganizing his belongings for his departure.

"Come in." Nikolas called out. It was a foreign phrase to him, but he no longer had anything to keep hidden.

His mother entered into the room. She had a slender box between her fingers.

Nikolas stood without moving as his mother crossed the room. She finally stopped and sat upon his bed.

"I had a conversation with Abigale." She said while staring out of Nikolas's window. The scorched marks on the sill made the isolation all the more real in her mind.

"I knew she would. The girl couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it." Nikolas said with a chuckle. He attempted to keep his mood light and the anger restrained.

"But of course, it could be a lie. You never know with me." Nikolas shoved the book with more force than he had indented. A black fingerprint now showing on the cover.

"She did not elaborate much. But she said you have found the companionship that you seeking. Is that correct?" The Queen tried to hold his gaze, but it was all in vain. No one enjoyed being called a liar. Especially not by your own mother.

"Indeed I have. It is no one's business but my own." He said as he crossed the room. He folded a few of his favorite Abigale drawings and tucked them into the lining of his coat closest to his heart.

"I respect your wishes. If you have found the love of your life, gift her with this." The Queen spoke softly raising her hands to place the silver box into Nikolas's palms. He gently raised the lid on the container.

Inside was the locket he knew so well. His mother wore it constantly up until the time that she remarried. It was her first gift from his father. Nikolas was speechless.

"Thank you." Nikolas finally spoke as his Mother left his quarters as swiftly as she arrived.

Nikolas boarded the ferry with a heavy heart. He did not expect to be returning back so early. He also did not expect it to be so hard. He had no thoughts of staying, though. He still wanted to return to Elsa as soon as possible.

* * *

**Hello. It took entirely too long for me to update, for that I apologize and reward you with the longest chapter yet. Thank you so much for reading and I would love to hear your feedback. **


	24. Author's Note

Author's Note: I am incredibly awful. I have abandoned this story for no true reason in particular. I have written more, but the way that I write is sporadic. The content that I have is not linked together, and I have no transition created yet to post onto what I currently have up. It has been so long since I have posted, and I feel terrible about it. I am currently on break and determined to get this story back up and running. I, again, apologize for neglecting this story. Fingers crossed that I follow through with what I say.


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

* * *

Nikolas returned to Elsa's room after a few hours of self loathing and blame. He navigated his way to their field and practiced relentlessly at controlling the flames flickering from his palms.

He knocked on the door awaiting the call that he was clear to enter. He was instead greeted by a red flash of hair as he was pulled into the room. Anna surprised Elsa by grabbing Nikolas into a quick hug. She released him and pointed at his face and glared into his eyes.

"You do not hurt her, or melt her, or break her heart, understood?" Anna growled. She tried to look intimidating, but all hopes were lost when Nikolas chuckled softly at the girl's kitten-like appearance. Anna knew she should have gotten Kristoff instead.

"I promise." Nikolas said before pulling Anna into a tighter hug. "I apologize for the mess I have created in your life." Nikolas looked into her eyes. He felt a twinge of pain when he saw the resemblance of Abigale in her features. The curious gaze and the sprinkled freckles made his heart long for his little sister's company. His hand subconsciously moved to the papers in his coat. He kept them, and the locket, on him daily. He was pleasantly surprised when neither burned in the night's incident.

Anna turned to see her sister's gaze on the two. She was clearly touched by what had occurred. Anna looked to the blush spreading across Nikolas's face and knew it was time for her to depart.

"I'll just leave you two here." Anna said as she scurried out of the room. She stomped in place progressively getting softer to mimic her descent down the hallway. After a minute of silence, she crept towards the door hoping to catch parts of their conversation.

Nikolas approached the side of the bed and sat in the chair Anna had supplied for her questioning. Nikolas's fingers were rubbing over the surface of the metal container. His hair was smoking at the ends. He resisted every urge to untangle his hair.

It didn't take much for Elsa to pick up on his nervous behavior. She raised her eye brow waiting for the Prince to speak. He removed his hand from his coat and interlocked his fingers between her's.

"You know that I care for you deeply." Nikolas began. He was unsure that he picked the appropriate time, but the locket was burning a hole in his coat. Not literally. It was as fireproof as possible for that very reason.

Elsa nodded her head and placed her bad hand on his cheek stroking the stubble forming on his chin softly. He closed his eyes and leaned his face into her palm savoring the moment while he could.

"I have a gift for you." Nikolas whispered wishing to not disturb the moment. His trembling hands grasped the present. He raised his hand and placed in onto her lap. The smoke from his hair thickened.

Elsa's eyes widened as she looked at the box. It was smooth to the touch, but she was unable to open it.

"Nikolas, I cannot open this." She said bringing him from his daze.

"Of course you can. There is no one else in the world that deserves it more than you." Nikolas replied and his eyes opened and they locked eyes. She glanced down at her wrist and then to their interlocked fingers. She was physically unable to open it.

Nikolas nervously chuckled and relinquished his hold on her hand. "Sorry." He mumbled as their attention turned back to the gift.

Her fingers lingered on the edge of the box. She looked to Nikolas before proceeding. She audibly gasped. Her gaze fell upon the beautiful silver locket. It was circular with intricate engravings on the surface. Tears filled her eyes and she covered her mouth with her working hand.

Nikolas took the locket into his hands. He undid the clasp and lifted it to her neck. His digits shook as his hands met behind her neck and he secured the necklace. She lifted it into her hand to glimpse closer to the surface.

"It belonged to my Mother. She gifted it to me on my recent visit. She told me to entrust it with someone I cared about." Elsa's eyes never left the jewelry as he spoke. She was entranced.

"It was a wedding gift from my Father." Elsa's gaze broke as she looked to the man. It dawned on her the importance. Nikolas had once said that his Father was not a materialistic man. There was very little left over from his reign. She treasured it deeper with this understanding.

Nikolas reached up and opened the locket to let Elsa view the inside. In it, was a small note that read, _To my one Love_.

Elsa leaned forward and swiftly kissed the man beside her. She took the locket and rolled it between her digits further appreciating its beauty. "Thank you." She said hoarsely. She had tried desperately to keep her emotions together. The smoke billowing from Nikolas's hair discontinued and her reached forward and embraced her tightly.

"Anything, my Queen."

* * *

"You realize that they are talking now." Anna said. She had her head tossed over the side of the couch and her feet propped on the wall next to Elsa's immense desk. Kristoff was showing Nikolas around the ironworks of Aredelle, leaving Anna alone and bored. When days like this came about, she resorted to her most famous tactic, annoying her elder sister.

"What exactly are they talking about?" Elsa inquired. She was currently practicing the dexterity of her hands. The makeshift splint made it difficult for Elsa to write, but she was determined not to slow down and get behind on her documents. She was rather ambidextrous due to the long periods of boredom that racked her mind throughout her isolated childhood. It led to her ability to be capable of writing with both hands and unknown to Anna, her mastery at piano. It left Elsa wishing for Nikolas for all the wrong reasons. He was excellent at forgery and could not say no to Elsa's pleas for assistance.

"They are talking about you of course. You can't possibly believe that they would be content with the lie that you 'accidentally' injured yourself on multiple occasions. You are the most graceful person I know. They would never believe it." Anna replied. "And, they have to be wondering who the mystery man lurking around the castle is. You know I was."

Elsa felt a twinge of guilt remembering the recent events. She had let herself knowingly fall back into the routine of her secretiveness.

"They will believe what they believe, but I have been contemplating something." Elsa said. She heard Anna shift in her odd position on the loveseat. She had gotten her attention, though she had every intention of telling Anna her thoughts, she first had to let her struggle.

"Go on." Anna said impatiently. She had returned to an upright position, not letting her eyes stray from her sister. Elsa returned to her practice. She began to write with both hands, cringing at the pain left from the somewhat painful maneuver required to begin the Q in Queen.

"Elsa?" Anna knew what Elsa was doing. She couldn't help but squirm.

"Elsa!" Anna said louder that time, hoping she could cut the delayed response in half.

"Elsaaaa?" Anna pleaded. She fell into her seat in desperation. Elsa did not expect her to give up so easily.

"Elsa?"

"I love you."

"Elsa?"

"Hey Elsa?"

"Tell me."

"Elsie?"

"TELL ME, PLEASE." Anna cried out. She threw her hands into the air and let herself spill onto the floor. Elsa remained unmoving. She collected herself and approached her sister. Elsa sat with her eyes not moving from the documents and her hands still scribing the response letters.

Anna began to softly poke Elsa's face. She stood above her continually repeating, "Hey Elsa. Elsa. Elsa?" She prodded Elsa cheek with every word. Elsa maintained her composure much longer than her younger sister had anticipated. She conditioned herself over the years to ignore her sister's constant annoying behaviors, and most recently Nikolas's presence in her office. But alas, there are only so many paper projectiles you can handle.

"Fine, Anna." Elsa said looking up to her sister. She rose from her seat and stood infront of the window overlooking the courtyard.

"It would not do my people any good to know of the reason behind this." Elsa said as she lifted her injured wrist. "But it would, perhaps, be beneficial for them to know of my courtship." Elsa said. She had anticipated Anna's squeals. Anna was worse than Freyja, if at all possible, when it came to Elsa's romantic life.

"Yes! We should have a ball. With dancing, and dignitaries, and chocolate!" Anna was twirling about the room.

Elsa's fingers traced over the intricate designs of the locket around her neck. She wore it always. It was a constant reminder that someone cared about her wellbeing.

"If you wish, Anna. But it will have to wait. I need to discuss something with you." Elsa turned on her heel to face her overjoyed sister.

"I have been called into a nearby kingdom, a close ally of ours. They are having a celebration for most bountiful year yet. There will be many other royal ambassadors there. It might assist us in closer the gap left from Wesleton. Will you be alright with watching over Arendelle in my absence?" Anna put up a mock salute in efforts to prove her loyalty to Queen. Elsa chuckled behind her hand before hugging Anna's shoulders.

"How long with you be gone?" Anna whispered into Elsa's platinum hair.

"Only for a few days. You will have Kai and Nikolas to help you. Everything will be fine." Elsa said to reassure her sister.

"When do you leave?" Anna held Elsa's shoulders at arm's length from her body. It pained her to be without the Queen.

"I will leave tomorrow. I will return to you as soon as I can." Elsa brushed Anna's bangs aside and softly kissed the skin on her forehead. She returned to her desk to resume her double handed calligraphy.

* * *

**Here it is, not my finest, but a step forward towards my continuation with this story. Sorry about such a long wait. Please feel free to tell me anything you think about the story and anything you think I should add. Thank you very much.**


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